Puducherry’s famed Boulevard will soon get a makeover with the French offering their expertise on key projects identified by the Puducherry Smart City Development Limited (PSDCL).
Raphael Gastebois, an architect specialising in urban development; Sebastien Rolland, urban planner from Urbalyon (Lyon Metropolitan Area Urban Planning Department) specialising in territorial strategy; Claire Boisset, urban planner; Coralie Marti, urban development expert specialising in touristic development and heritage conservation; and Adrien Faugere, project management specialist from Espelia; are expected to arrive here on Sunday to participate in a technical consultation workshop with the PSDCL and officials of various departments and other stakeholders.
According to P. Jawahar, Secretary to the Local Administration Department, “The main feature of the Smart City proposal is the retrofitment of the Core Business District — Boulevard comprising the French and Tamil town. The technical sessions are aimed at helping PSCDL and other stakeholders to further define the projects as a whole and synergise them.”
The technical sessions will also include field visits and discussions with officials on the project theme, concept, site visit, financial model and the project cost.
The Smart City proposal comprises a number of projects that combine components of pan city (non-motorised transportation, integrated command and development centre) and area-based development such as tourism, housing, water supply, sewerage, sanitation, solid waste, electrical, IT connectivity and transportation, Mr. Jawahar added.
The rejuvenation of the Grand Canal and waterfront development are one of the key components of the proposal.
A dedicated public transport corridor with light rail transport, pedestrian pathways with a bicycle sharing network, smart street design and quick-win projects are likely to figure during the discussions.
Grand Canal
The Grand Canal was built as a storm-water drain by the French around 1765. It was designed to regulate the flow of rainwater towards the north into the Uppar drain and to the south into the sea near the new Lighthouse. Over a period of time, the Grand Canal has become a sewage line in the heart of the town.
A long stretch of the canal was covered about 15 years ago. Now it is used as a dump yard, parking space and for local market. A recent survey by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) revealed that around 250 houses were letting wastewater into the drains.
