The various works related to the Smart City project in the Thiruvananthapuram city Corporation which had come to a grinding halt yet again due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown have restarted on the ground, with smaller projects where COVID protocols can be maintained being taken up first.
On Wednesday, the Minister for Local Self-governments carried out a general review of schemes in the urban areas, including Smart City and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).
Though the normal deadline for the Smart City projects is 2022, the Corporation might get one more year as its works began only in 2018, and a five-year window is allowed.
The Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Limited has an almost fresh team now at the top, with a new CEO taking charge in March and the new Corporation Mayor taking charge in January. The first meeting of the new Board of Directors is expected later this month. The Smart City team had recently made presentations for the councillors from the nine wards in the core city area, where many of the key projects under the scheme have been planned.
All projects envisaged under the project have already been tendered, but execution has been a problem with multiple roadblocks since last year, beginning with the first COVID-19 lockdown, the two extended periods in which model code of conduct were in force for the local body and Assembly elections, the most recent lockdown due to COVID-19 and the heavy summer showers. Some of the time lines could be maintained because the team had ensured the preparation of the Detailed Project Reports and the tendering work was completed even when the office remained closed due to the pandemic.
“Work has been restarted in five sites from last week onwards. Contractors were given permission to begin the work if they were sure of maintaining COVID-19 protocols. Due to the unexpectedly heavy summer rain, some of the worksites have been inundated. Every morning, water is pumped out before beginning the work. Not all of the work can be taken up during rains as excavation work can be done only after ensuring that it won't cave in during the rains,” said a Smart City official.
The execution of some of the major projects, including the multi-level car parking lot in Thampanoor, the renovation work at the Connemara market in Palayam and Smart Roads have already begun. The Smart Road works have begun from the Fort area, with work on the Charithra Veethi near the Transport Bhavan and the Kothalam Road.
A majority of the workers, who are from outside the State, might take some more days to return to the State. Only after that and the easing of the current lockdown restrictions would the execution hit full swing.
