The City Municipal Council of Udupi is contemplating opting for a public-private partnership initiative to make the city smart at an estimated cost of ₹ 130 crore.
City planning officials informed CMC members at the first meeting of the council that the city is likely to get 3,000 smart poles that accommodate closed circuit television cameras, 5G-enabled WiFi system and drone chargers. Similarly, bus bays, autorickshaw bays, motorcycle bays and toilets would be provided at various locations under the project, they said.
Speaking about the proposal, Udupi MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat said that a detailed project report is under way by a private entity. Tenders would be invited by the CMC and the private participant would invest on creation of infrastructure and get the money back through user fee. The CMC has to approve of the project first after which the proposal would be sent to the government, Mr. Bhat said.
Responding to councillor Prabhakar Poojary’s demand to blacklist the contractor maintaining street lights, the council passed a resolution to that effect. Mr. Bhat said that no new lights were installed in the city since 2013. He added that the situation would change shortly. CMC president Sumithra Nayak told the meeting that the council has invited tenders for installing 1,000 LED street lights.
Responding to problems in drinking water supply in some wards, Ms. Nayak said that tenders would be invited to arrange for water supply in such wards. The problem could get solved once the city starts getting water from the Varahi project, she said.
On the underground drainage system problem, the MLA said that the system was pathetic in the city. The government has not released any funds for its improvement. A detailed project report would be prepared to rectify the existing system in the old city areas after which a delegation of members would meet the Chief Minister seeking adequate funds for improving the system.
Responding to the issue of validity of the present meeting following a single judge order of the High Court of Karnataka on reservation roster raised by councillor Ramesh Kanchan, Municipal Commissioner Anand C. Kallolikar said that the meeting was convened after seeking legal opinion. Since the Division Bench has stayed the single judge order, the meeting was in order and its resolutions were valid, he said.
