Team Herald
PANJIM: ICLEI South Asia has drafted a Rs 1313.74 crore Smart City Proposal (SCP) for Panjim, with thrust on ‘IT enabled municipal services’ comprising solid waste management, e-governance and ‘eco-mobility and public transport system’. The High Power Committee on Smart City chaired by Chief Secretary R K Srivastava granted its approval to the SCP on Friday afternoon.
The SCP will now be placed before the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) at its meeting on December 1 for its nod, following which it will be moved to the government for approval by December 8. The final SCP will be placed before the Union Ministry for Urban Development on December 14. The ministry will decide whether Panjim will be in the first phase of 20 selected cities for smart development.
With the Central Government (Rs 500 crore) and State government along with the urban body (Rs 500 crore), together spending Rs 1000 crore over the next five years, ICLEI South Asia, the consultant for the project, proposed investment through public-private partnership (PPP) and from international agencies or through market loans, to implement the project under two heads – Pan-City Proposal and Area Based Development.
The SCP focuses on 24 smart plan features which include health, education, housing, solid waste, government services, culture and heritage, transport, water quality, sanitation, transport, air quality and others.
“The draft vision of the SCP is transforming the city into a world-class, environmentally sustainable and livable city for all, while preserving its heritage, cultural diversity and eco-system through innovation and smart solutions,” an ICLEI official said.
The SCP has been drafted after consulting nearly 40 per cent of Panjim’s residents. Citizens rightly prioritized smart mobility and transport system, solid waste management and retrofitting of heritage areas. The consultant has also incorporated the LKS Global drafted Panjim Holistic Master Plan will drafting the SCP.
“Maximum emphasis is given to make most parts of the city pedestrian zones and cycle stations. Upgrading of public transport system is a crucial aspect,” officials added.
The Pan-City Proposal focuses on ‘IT enabled municipal services’ comprising solid waste management, e-governance, smart metering for water supply and smart technology for street lightening and ‘Eco-mobility and public transport system’, which speaks about cycling station, smart parking, public bike share etc.
