The Urban Development department initiated consensus building exercise to catapult Ranchi into the league of 100 smart cities in the country. On Thursday, the department appraised the ward councilors of Ranchi Municipal Corporation of the various aspects of the project and underscored the steps needed to get the coveted tag.
Although official declaration to the news is yet to come, presentation depicting the concept and its impact on a city selected was shown to the elected municipal ward representatives, a significant component of city’s civic administration, to solicit their support in the complete overhauling of the capital.
“Every citizen of Ranchi has to become smart to make the city smart. People’s representatives also need to become smart only then the dream of smart city can be achieved,” said Secretary, Urban Development, AK Singh.
The one-hour long presentation inculcated sense of responsibility among the councilors by clearly drawing parameters that incidentally will differentiate a city smart in all respects — motorable streets, better sewerage and drainage system, better public transit system, superior public amenities among others — from a city characterised by disregard for people’s concern for a conditions conducive to living.
Singh added that the capital scores around 55 per cent marks on the various parameters that needs to be fulfilled mandatorily to become a smart city.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) flagship scheme for cities will be implemented in various phases, initially focusing on few wards and slowly expanding the ring to cover the geographical area under the RMC’s command.
“Work should be started in few wards in the first phase and government will fund all smart activities. In first phase the government will disburse Rs200-crore for smart city project,” maintained Singh.
Notwithstanding the poor sewerage and drainage system and pathetic state of public amenities the ward councilors vowed to extend their support in the race to get ahead of all other cities vying for a the status. Although divided by municipal boundaries the councilors expressed that the pan-India competition will ultimately benefit all and sundry.
“This is a healthy competition and it will help public in the end. It addresses everything that improves standard of living in a city. The ball is in our court now as our support has been solicited and it is time for us to let our actions speak,” said councilor of ward-28, Ashok Baraik.
Officials of the department expressed that the capital is lagging behind on most of the parameters hence everyone must be prepared in the long battle to rid the city of its perennial problems.