Ideas and suggestions poured in from city residents for the smart city project on Friday with emphasis on sustainable and inclusive development to meet the aspirations and needs of the citizens.
A seminar on “Smart City — Tiruchi” organised jointly by the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection, and the Consumer Protection Council, Tamil Nadu, Tiruchi, provided the platform for the participants from different walks of life to put forth their views on making Tiruchi smarter.
While firming up the Smart City proposal, the planners must ensure that the project was implemented without disturbing the heritage, antiquity, and ancient monuments of the rock city, a section of participants said.
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Making a presentation on the proposed project, Simon Selvaraj, Associate Director, Strategic Consulting, Jones Lang La Salle, the consultant, said the whole mission would be carried out by engaging citizens and involving the stakeholders.
Improving the quality of life of the residents with IT intervention, augmenting basic infrastructure, applying smart solutions to ensure clean and sustainable environment were among the key objectives of the project, he said.
The JLL was involved in drafting the Smart City proposal by engaging stakeholders and citizens and ascertaining their ideas, Mr. Simon Selvaraj said and added that the proposal would have to be submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development by December 15.
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The former Commissioner of Tiruchirapalli City Corporation Swaran Singh said planning should be in such a way that it encompassed several aspects, including good sanitation system, sustainable environment, creation of a robust infrastructure, and systematic and scientific ways of managing solid and hazardous wastes besides focussing on health.
No smart city can remain smart unless there was frequent interaction with the citizens and stakeholders, Mr. Swaran Singh pointed out. Senior physician, M.S. Ashraf, said health and education should form a key component of the smart city proposal.
With many foreigners visiting Tiruchi for medical care, the planners must ensure uninterrupted good quality power supply for the hospitals, put in place a proper disposal system for solid and liquid wastes and supply of potable drinking water.
V. Vasudevan, managing director, Sangam Hotels, said the smart city plan should be conceived and developed without disturbing the antiquity and heritage monuments of the city. Due importance should be accorded for people with disabilities while firming up the plan, he said.
Industrialist and promoter of G.K. Industrial Park K.G. Muralidharan underscored the need for synergy of all stakeholders in developing Tiruchi as a smart city.
Balasubramanian from the travel industry said there was definite need to expand the runway of Tiruchi international airport and expansion of the terminal building in the wake of upswing in overseas travellers movement to Tiruchi.
Harnessing solar energy, relocating the central bus stand to ease congestion, shifting the Gandhi Market, establishment of eco-san toilets, provision of social audit by citizens, and removal of encroachments and creation of smart infrastructure were among the mosaic of suggestions put forth by the participants at the forum.
S. Pushpavanam, secretary, Consumer Protection Council, said the objective behind organising the forum was to ascertain ideas, suggestions, and recommendations from the residents for the smart city project.