The city Corporation has come second in the implementation of projects under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme, on a list of nine local bodies in the State. The local body has been leading with maximum implementation till early this year. However, the Guruvayur municipality, a smaller local body, has gone ahead of it, while all other major municipal Corporations are trailing far behind.
23% expenditure
The local body has completed works to the tune of ₹81.68 crore till now, out of the ₹355.15 crore for which administrative sanction has been obtained, with an expenditure of 23%. Guruvayur, though leading, has completed projects to the tune of only ₹61.59 crore, out of the ₹203.10 crore for which administrative sanction has been accorded. The Kochi Corporation is in third place with an expenditure of ₹55.35 crore.
Main areas
The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation made the most progress in water supply, sewerage and storm water drainage projects. As much as 38% of the water supply projects have been completed.
In the past one year, the local body has also completed storm water drainages in various parts of the city. Out of the 110 storm water projects, 45 have already been completed.
In the urban transport sector, the work on three multi-level parking lots are expected to be completed by August. The tenders for the plan to develop a park in the Station Kadavu-Pound Kadavu area were opened on Monday. Five companies have responded. According to a Corporation official, this will be sent to the Chief Engineer of the Local Self Government Department for clearance, after which the financial bids will be opened.
KWA projects
Out of the total of ₹81.68 crore spent, ₹62.65 crore was spent on projects executed by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA), while ₹19.03 crore was spent on non-KWA projects.
The work on a 75-mld water treatment plant at Aruvikkara, which began six months ago, is expected to be completed later this year. The commissioning of this plant will increase the per capita supply of water to the city.
One of the major projects under the AMRUT scheme, the sewerage network project covering the Kazhakuttam-Technopark-Medical College area, is aimed at drastically improving the sewerage network coverage in the city. But it has not made much progress due to various issues, from reluctance of contractors to issues regarding road cutting.
