Three projects of the GVMC have been shortlisted for consideration of grants by the French government agency AFD.
The projects are sustainable mobility, modernisation of classrooms and improving the Mudarsarlova tank area to retain its ecology, according to Municipal Commissioner M. Hari Narayanan.
CITIIS challenge
These projects are among 26 selected from across the country in the CITIIS challenge organised for Smart Cities by the Ministry of Urban Development.
“The three projects deal with extending the projects being executed in the Area-Based Development (ADB) in the Smart City works. The Smart Street concept is proposed to be extended to Sampath Vinayaka temple road, New Colony and South Jail Road for 8 km under sustainable mobility. Besides, 200 e-rickshaws are proposed to be introduced through self-help group members. Hundred smart bus stops and bicycles will also be introduced,” Mr. Hari Narayanan said at a press conference here on Wednesday.
A presentation was made on the three projects by the Commissioner in New Delhi on Monday.
The grant would be a maximum of ₹80 crore subject to a ceiling of 80% of the project cost, Mr. Hari Narayanan said.
Electric buses
The BRTS project could not be made fully operational owing to infrastructural gaps like lack of safe pedestrian crossings, improving footpaths and barricading. To provide the gap infrastructure, civil works would be taken up with about ₹100 crore and tenders would be called, Mr. Hari Narayanan said. It is proposed to introduce about 60 electric buses on the BRTS route. But before ordering buses, a trial run would be taken up to test battery life and the government’s permission is being sought for it, he said.
