Smart city proposals for all 12 corporations including Tiruchi and Chennai were submitted to the Director of Smart City Mission of the Union Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) in New Delhi on Monday.
The consultants appointed by the respective local bodies personally handed over the proposals along with the approval of the High Power Steering Committee and the Tamil Nadu Urban Finance and Development Corporation (TUFIDCO), which was the nodal agency for implementing smart city programmes in 12 Corporations in the State.
Though the Ministry of Urban Development had set December 15 as the deadline for submission of proposals, it extended two more weeks for Tamil Nadu due to the recent flood that had wreaked havoc in four districts including Chennai.
Highly placed sources told The Hindu that the proposals had been submitted to the Central government on Monday. The High Power Steering Committee headed by the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu had reviewed the smart city proposals of all 12 Corporations about a week ago. Most of 100 Corporations of various States had presented their proposals.
The Ministry of Urban Development had started analysing the proposals of various corporations based on parameters stipulated by it. Out of 100 corporations, the ministry would select top 20 for implementing the smart city programme during the current year itself. The next 20 corporations would be allotted funds from 2016-17 onwards for five years.
The ranking list might be out in the second or third week of January. The top 20 cities might be announced on January 26 by the Central Government.
It was learnt that many Corporations in the State were placed well above several Corporations in the country in meeting the criteria fixed by the MoUD. Tiruchi, Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai were among the front runners, sources added.
The Tiruchi Corporation that prepared the smart city proposal with the community participation at various levels has chosen Rockfort, Thillai Nagar, Gandhi Market, Thennur, Puthur, N.S.B. Road, Woraiyur, and Ammamandapam Road for retrofitting (Area Based Development) component. Providing various solutions such as tourism corridor, heritage protection, water supply, sanitation, and civic aspects are part of the retrofitting component.
Introduction of a bus rapid transit system (BRTS) on a 24-km from Srirangam to Airport via Chathram Bus Stand will be the pan city component.
