BHOPAL: The smarty city projects in the state capital are moving at snail’s space and now the order of the National Green Tribunal has cast a cloud over the ongoing Area Based Development Projects in TT Nagar and Dussehra Maidan area.
The Green Tribunal on Tuesday had ordered to maintain status quo on the construction work related to Bhopal Smart City project which involves cutting of more than 6,000 trees in TT Nagar. Notices were issued to the concerned authorities in this connection.
As many as 1,500 trees have already been cut down, and another 4,500 are in the line. The BSCDCL officials are yet to file reply, however they claim that there will be more number of trees in the area, than the number of trees fallen.
Nevertheless, the order has added to the worries of the Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Limited (BSCDCL) as their projects are already getting delayed while some are on halt for one or the other reason.
The two major projects Smart Road and Arch Bridge construction, both are far form completion and facing stiff public opposition. Facing the wrath of the traders over displacement from area around Jawahar Chowk due to development works, the authorities assured that they would be allotted shops elsewhere. The smart city is developing 700 flats around the Dussehra Maidan.
The other projects of the BSCDCL that failed to click or are moving at snail’s space include smart road, Arch bridge, the multi-level parking, Sadar Manzil renovation, the track for the Public Bike Sharing (PBS) scheme at the Hoshangabad road, smart classes and others.
Similarly the smart road, being developed linking between polytechnic square and the depot square or Bharat mata square has also got delayed. The then corproator Shabista Zaki had objected to the construction of road as well as Arch bridge as it led to displacement of families living in the vicinity. Owing to the opposition the bridge is yet to be inaugurated. The ABD area is being developed in 342 acres of land around the area and the BSCDCL is expected to spend over Rs 3000 crore for the works. The ABD area has a road network of 18 kilometers where Boulevard street is being constructed to link Platinum plaza to the Jawahar chowk area. The road network of 18 kilometers will have utility tunnel beneath it.
Far from completion: The smart road being developed for around four years and is far from completion even as BSCDCL has spent around Rs 27 crore on it. Over 20 lakh has been spent on the Arch Bridge over Lower Lake.
Few takers for Multi-level parking, PBS scheme
The BSCDCL had developed three multi-level parking in MP Nagar, New Market and Bairagarh.
However all the three failed to yield desired results as today they witness less than 30 per cent occupancy. All initiatives, campaigns, and advertisements to motivate people to use these parking lots have gone in vain as motorists find it far easy to park vehicles on roadside than drive all the way to the multi-level parking lot. Similarly the much touted Public Bike Sharing scheme failed garner the required response. A dedicated pathway was designed for it on Hoshangabad road.
Projects to finish on time: CEO Singh
BSCDCL chief executive officer (CEO) Deepak Singh said they have not yet received the NGT order and they would file a reply after going through the order. Other projects of the smart city are being reviewed and all efforts are being put in to get them completed on time, said the officer. He assured that all issues pertaining to the smart road and Arch bridge would be sorted out soon.
