The development investment programme being implemented in the urban areas of Uttarakhand is aimed at integrated and consistent development of cities in the State. The State Housing and Urban Development Minister Pritam Singh Panwar said this while chairing a meet with departmental officials on Friday. Pointing at the need for infrastructural and organisational improvements in cities, provision of common facilities to citizens, boosting revenue of urban local bodies and empowering local self governance, he said 31 towns are to be taken up for this in Uttarakhand including 18 towns in Garhwal and 13 in Kumaon.
The Urban Development director Dr V Shanmugam informed that till March 2015, the sum utilised amounted to Rs349.82 crore. This sum was utilised on potable water supply, waste water management and solid waste management, slum improvement, traffic management, capacity building for local self governance and institutional financial reforms. Works done as part of tranche one and tranche two were also discussed in detail. Reviewing tranche one works in Dehradun, Panwar directed Peyjal Nigam officials to ensure timely reply of the damaged head of the pipeline laid from Paundha river with Rs90 lakh slated to be used on it.
The officials said that eight pumps and 15 diesel generators had been provided for the pumping plant. Discussion on drinking water supply in the core area of Dehradun revealed that laying of only 87 km of the planned 147 km pipe line had been completed though the work deadline had expired. Directing that tenders be invited again for this work, Panwar also told officials to complete the work of Dalanwala and Khudbuda drinking water schemes.
Regarding Urban Infrastructure Scheme for Slum and Medium Towns, Panwar said that 14 projects worth Rs192.26 crore had been sanctioned by the Central Government. The Central share in this would amount to Rs153.94 crore. The approved projects include sewerage system for Mussoorie, solid waste management for Haldwani, water supply for Manglaur, construction of roads and drains in Nandprayag, Muni ki Reti, Narendranagar, Karnprayag, Joshimath, Uttarkashi, Badkot, Purola, Rudraprayag and Gopeshwar. The total cost of these works will be Rs112.88 crore out of which Rs36.94 has been released so far.
Officials said under the Integrated Housing and Slums Development programme effective for towns of Uttarakhand except the mission cities of Dehradun, Haridwar and Nainital, 21 projects in 18 UlBs have been approved for provision of housing and basic facilities for slum dwellers. A total of 4288 homes are to be built under the programme at a total cost of Rs177.54 crore.