The core city area, comprising the East Fort-Chalai-Thampanoor-Chenkalchoola stretch, has topped the city Corporation’s poll to collect public opinion on the regions to be included in the local body’s Smart City proposal to be submitted to the Central government.
The core city area received 21,394 votes while the historic waterway and Kazhakuttam-Kovalam corridor was placed second with 18,051 votes. The Medical College-General Hospital came third with 17,768 votes.
Projects focused on the Kazhakuttam area (16,406 votes), Vizhinjam area (15,156), Outer Corridor (13,772) area and the Akkulam-Veli area (9,956) followed.
A total of 1,12,503 votes had been polled, of which 43,312 were polled through ballots, 54,462 through electronic voting machines, 11,318 through online polling, 1,325 through SMS, and 2,086 through WhatsApp.
The Area-Based Development project for the core city area involves its retrofitting and redevelopment, with focus on enhancing accessibility, tourist experience, and the conservation of heritage and culture.
The project for the historic waterway and Kazhakuttam-Kovalam corridor envisages an integrated water and land transit corridor with a revived historic canal and an activated corridor with uncluttered recreational spaces while the Medical College-General Hospital project will transform the area into a specialised city medical district that delivers quality health care.
The poll also collected suggestions for conceiving pan-city development goals in areas, including the provision of water, processing of waste water, safety, health, housing, solid waste management, transport, and employment.
Over the following days, detailed proposals for Area Based Development and Pan City Development will be drafted by the Smart City project consultant with the help of the Corporation’s technical committee.
