Dharamsala Smart City project grapples with staff crunch

Dharamsala, February 11

The Dharamsala Smart City project is beset with a shortage of staff, said Minister for Urban Development Suresh Bhardwaj at a meeting here today while reviewing the progress of various developmental works. He directed Dharamsala Smart City Company Ltd and various government departments to complete the works being undertaken by them in a time-bound manner.

The meeting discussed 27 projects worth more than Rs 165 crore under implementation and 19 projects worth more than Rs 150 crore, which are in various stages of tendering. The minister told the officials present to issue tenders by March 31.

Bhardwaj directed the officials to complete the works in time. The Smart City project was facing various problems and the biggest challenge was the shortage of staff, he said. The project was allotted to Dharamsala in 2015 after the local municipal council was upgraded to a municipal corporation (MC). Eight villages were merged with Dharamsala city and its population also doubled after the corporation came into being. Though the area and the population have increased, the MC has not been provided addition staff. It had requested the government for 67 additional posts.

Sources say that at present there are one Executive Engineer and an SDO in the MC. The two officials ensure that the Municipal Act is followed by the owners of the buildings, approve maps of new buildings and alterations in old buildings and also monitor construction works in the MC area.

There is only one sanitary supervisor in the MC but no sanitary inspector. In new panchayat areas merged with the MC, people complain of a lack of sanitation.

A doctor of the Zonal Hospital has been given the additional charge of Food Safety Officer in the MC but he generally remains busy in his medical duties.

Only one XEN, SDO in the MC

• Dharamsala got the Smart City project in 2015 after local municipal council upgraded to a corporation.
• Eight villages merged with the city and its population doubled.
• The MC has one XEN, SDO and a sanitary supervisor.
• A doctor of Zonal Hospital has been given the additional charge of Food Safety Officer in the MC.