Inclusion of Rourkela in the list of 98 cities to come under the Smart City scheme in the country has made all social and youth forums and the intelligentsia here busy preparing best-of-knowledge suggestions so as to enable the steel city come among shortlisted 20 cities, which would get Central grants in the first phase.
The Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) has invited all stakeholders to submit suggestions before it at the earliest. Basing on the suggestions, the RMC would prepare a draft proposal and send the same to the Union Government by December 15.
Thanks to the Rourkela Sachetan Nagarika Manch which had mooted the idea of collecting opinions and suggestions from the common denizens prior to the RMC.
Now, the Rourkela Youth Forum (RYF) has come forward to ease the job of the RMC. Their volunteers have been holding camps in various chowks and populated areas and making people aware of the concept of smart city. They are inviting people to give their suggestions to make Rourkela a Smart City. The RYF has planned to organise more such programmes at Puja Mandaps during Dussehra.
“No doubt the city will get immense benefits after it is converted into a Smart City. But we people of the city have to play a major role here. Selection for the first phase list is under process. We request everyone to bring put forth problems and remedies,” said RPF president Vinay Singh.
Citing an example, he said, “People suffer everyday due to the poor parking system at market places. This can be sorted out if a multistoried parking system is put in place at each congested site.”
A multistoried parking system will have a number of floors for keeping vehicles. This system is very efficient as a number of vehicles can be parked on different floors on a particular piece of land, he opined.