Forty-five municipal schools have been shortlisted for CITIIS (Cities Investment to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain) programme and would be developed as smart campuses. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) will receive ₹52 crore as the CITIIS grant for the project.
The programme, supported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) and European Union (EU), is conceptualised to assist Indian cities to implement urban infrastructure projects that are integrated, innovation driven and sustainable.
According to the GVMC officials, Visakhapatnam Smart City has participated in the CITIIS challenge process and submitted three project proposals to the ministry under the categories of Sustainable Mobility, Public Open Spaces and Social and Organisational Innovation. The ministry selected a project ‘Modernising of GVMC schools into smart campuses.’
GVMC Commissioner G. Srijana said that Visakhapatnam Smart City Corporation (GVSCCL) has appointed AECOM Asia Private limited as the Project Management Consultant (PMC) to prepare plans and designs for the schools as part of the programme.
“Out of 147 GVMC Schools, 50 schools are already being developed by the State government under Nadu –Nedu scheme in the first phase. Forty-five municipal schools have been shortlisted for CITIIS programme,” she said. According to Ms. Srijana, H.B. Colony Primary School was selected initially for the pilot project for the programme and they have planned to develop the school as a model school.
She said that the plans/designs are being prepared in a technically innovative manner and put before the school development committee, parents and school management for their inputs and feedback.
“So far, meeting were convened at MVP, Pedawaltair, Resapuvanipalem, Venkojipalem, NGGO’s Colony, Ganeswara Patasala, Achiyyammapeta Primary Schools. Similar meetings will be conducted in the remaining selected schools. We are planning to complete stakeholder engagements for finalisation of designs by the end of January,” she added.
