Smart City campaign for Shimla gets huge response

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 6

As many as 50,000 residents, who responded to the smart city citizen engagement campaign launched by the Shimla municipal corporation last month, want Shimla without the “jungle of overhead cables, shabby bill boards and shacks”. They want a city that fulfills dream of an average citizen, providing safe and prompt smart transport, safe and clean water, smart streets and roads and parks for children and elders.

Shimla Mayor Sanjay Chauhan and the Deputy Mayor Tikender Panwar congratulated them for putting forward their “inputs for smart city of their dreams”. Chauhan said the MC had initiated an innovative method of engaging people where meeting with different stakeholders is being held to incorporate their suggestions for the SCP (smart city plan). The people from different walks of life like professionals, business people, educationists, lawyers, doctors, labour unions, MLAs, MPs, environmentalists, retired employees, students, youth, women groups, socially disadvantaged groups, political party representatives, engineers and others participated in the citizens engagements.

People filled forms listing their priorities. Two-pronged strategy to prepare this plan is based on the formula of having plan for area based development and “pan city development”. From monorails to underground power and water cables, interesting and pragmatic suggestions are being offered by the people, he added.

In the second leg, the ward sabhas in all the wards are being held so that critical assessment and plan for the city could be generated from the wards itself, added Panwar. At present ward sabhas have been held in 12 wards, including Bharari, Ruldu Bhatta, Annandale, Totu.

The residents are using social media for the purpose. “This is a welcome step though we do not want to share the details of the data”, the Mayor said.

To further strengthen the SCP, a team comprising MC councillors and officials has been sent to Mumbai to understand the area-based development. “The outcome of the visit will be made public once they are back and are able to form an analysis”, they added.