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Nearly seven years after the launch of the Union governments Smart Cities Mission, Andhra Pradeshs four selected cities-Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, and Amaravati-have made significant progress, with over 85% of the planned projects now complete.
The total value of completed projects stands at ?5,657 crore out of the ?6,620 crore planned. Kakinada and Tirupati have each surpassed expectations, completing approximately ?2,000 crore worth of projects.
Visakhapatnam has finalized projects worth about ?1,575 crore from a proposed ?1,700 crore, while Amaravati has completed ?746 crore worth of projects out of the planned ?930 crore.
The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) first proposed the Vizag Smart City project to the Union government in 2015. The RK Beach area, selected by 75% of survey respondents, was prioritized for development. Vizag competed with 97 other cities to secure a spot on the initial list of 20 smart cities announced in January 2016.
GVMC formed the Greater Visakhapatnam Smart City Corporation Limited (GVSCCL) to ensure timely implementation of projects. Major initiatives include floating solar power plants, solar street lighting, smart classrooms, a multi-level car parking system, heritage building conservation, sewerage projects, a 24x7 water supply system, a sports arena, and a city operations center.
Amaravati, selected in the third round of the Smart Cities Mission in June 2017, initially proposed 20 projects totaling ?2,046 crore. However, only ?930 crore worth of projects have been completed or are underway.
GVMC chief engineer M. Vinay Kumar stated that the deadline for the completion of the Smart City projects is March 2025. He assured that all remaining projects will be completed before this deadline, highlighting the innovative efforts undertaken in Visakhapatnam. |
