OffBeat
This is not the first time that a female commando has been part of the SPG…
Digital Desk: A photo of a
Despite modest progress, Guwahati Smart City Limited (GSCL) executives remain optimistic that the construction pace...
Digital Desk: Guwahati was chosen as one of the country's first 20 smart cities as part of the government's ambitious Smart City plan to improve living conditions in 100 cities and towns across the country.
However, according to recent Niti Aayog statistics, Guwahati is one of the country's worst-performing smart cities, with only nine out of 185 projects worth a total of 22,256 crore completed.
According to the Niti Aayog report, Guwahati's low performance is not an isolated occurrence. Several other cities in the Northeast area, including Shillong, Aizawl, and Imphal, have also struggled to make meaningful headway on their smart city programmes.
Amaravati, Diu, Greater Warangal, Kavaratti, Port Blair, and Puducherry are also among the worst-performing cities.
According to the research, 32 smart cities have completed more projects than originally intended, with some exceeding their targets by four times. Despite the hurdles created by the COVID-19 epidemic, political and regional considerations, and local land and labour issues, 239,085 crore in projects were completed across the country in the last year.
The Smart Cities Mission's financial development has also been encouraging. The Centre's finances released jumped from 328,315 crore to 234.887 crore by the end of 2022, showing intensified efforts to accelerate the development of smart cities.
Guwahati, for instance, received a grant of 2396 crore from the Ministry of Urban Development, which remained in use until 2022. The entire budget for the five-year Guwahati Smart City plan was 2,256 crore, with the Centre and the state expected to pay 1500 crore each.
However, the remaining funds were to be generated by urban local governments through a variety of methods such as user fees, beneficiary charges, land monetization, debt, and loans.
The Brahmaputra River Front Development, Streetscape in Kalashetra, Light and Sound Show in Gandhi Mandap, Integrated Traffic Management System, Gandhi Mandap Museum Renovation, and procurement of electric buses (EVS) and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses are among the key projects under the Guwahati Smart City initiative.
Despite modest progress, Guwahati Smart City Limited (GSCL) executives remain optimistic that the construction pace has stepped up since 2021, and significant changes will be visible in the city shortly.
Reportedly, there are now 16 ongoing projects in Guwahati, with a total budget of 2814.29 crores, yet the Guwahati Smart City Projects have failed miserably to reach their aims.
Leave A Comment