The draft Smart City plan for Tiruchi is expected to be readied by November 20 and would be presented before the stakeholders for another round of discussion soon after.
Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) in association with Townland Consultants Pvt Ltd., and Tata Consulting Engineers Ltd, the consultant appointed to assist the civic body to prepare the proposal for the nationwide Smart City challenge, are currently engaged in compiling and considering the suggestions that were aired at the stakeholders meetings and also those received online and through the public booths opened by the Corporation.
The public consultation exercise would go on till November 15, said Simon Selvaraj, Associate Director (Strategic Consulting), Jones Lang LaSalle Property Consultants (India) Pvt.Ltd. “The Smart City Plan would have to be presented to the Centre by December 15 for the Smart City Challenge at the national level,” he told The Hindu .
The draft proposal would outline the model chosen – retrofitting, redevelopment, green-field development or a mix thereof – apart from the pan city development initiatives planned with smart solutions.
According to available indications, the city in all probability would opt for retrofitting under area based development. Retrofitting would entail development of the chosen area, covering about 500 acres, to provide better civic amenities, including lighting, pedestrian ways, parking, and traffic management with smart solutions.
As of now, four locations including the Thillai Nagar and Rockfort areas have emerged front runners (in the public consultation exercise) for being taken up for retrofitting. Extension of underground drainage system and improving urban mobility seems to be favoured programmes to be taken up under pan-city development. Urban mobility could include inter-modal transport and a new tegrated bus stand.
The draft proposal would outline the model chosen, the programmes planned and their financial viability.
Last week, the consultant had made a presentation to senior State government officials on the city wide profiling, smart strategies, and the consultation process under way.
