Authorities gear up for Karnal smart city project

Karnal, January 16

The authorities have geared up for the smart city project, which is running at a snail’s pace. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has asked the authorities to push the project for development of the city in his recent visit to the city.

The authorities associated with Karnal Smart City Limited have initiated the process for commencement of some major parts of the project. Vineet Garg, Divisional Commissioner, Karnal, held a meeting with officials and reviewed the project. He asked the implementing agency to show work on the ground, sources said.

Karnal city was included in the smart city list on June 23, 2017. Residents were elated with high hopes for overall development, but after around 18 months, the project could not get going on the ground.

As per the project, Rs 1,295 crore was to be incurred on development and state-of-the-art smart amenities on 720 acres in the next five years under area-based developments and pan-city proposal. The authorities had received Rs 38 crore so far.

“We will start work on some major parts of the project in the coming days. ACS Anand Mohan Sharan has reviewed the project and we have asked companies to float tenders for the projects under the smart city project,” said Rajiv Kumar Mehta, Municipal Commissioner.

A multi-storey green commercial building-cum-parking would be developed at the site of the old Municipal Corporation building. The basement would have parking facility and the ground floor would be dedicated to shopkeepers running establishments. The first, second and third floors would have shops and the fourth floor would host a multi-purpose hall for traders.

Work on Mughal Canal markets with different kinds of architectural styles would start soon. The ground floor of the market would be dedicated to parking. The market would be on the first floor, access to which would be via escalators and lifts.

It would ease traffic congestion, which was faced in the first phase, the Municipal Commissioner said. They would develop a government school as a model school having smart classrooms, solar energy equipped building and science, computer and language laboratories. — TNS