Proposal at Rs. 1,500 crore.

The Smart City proposal submitted by the Coimbatore Corporation to the Central Government is estimated at Rs. 1,500 crore, a sum arrived at by the civic body along with the Smart City project consultant, ICRA.

Around 70 to 80 per cent of the project cost will go to towards area-development project – the integrated development of eight tanks.

The tanks will be restored to their full capacity, linking channels will be strengthened andlake-front habitats will be developed with recreational facilities. The Corporation will also create a 30-km non-motorised corridor with green pathways, bicycle sharing vantage points and improved connectivity with other parts of the city.

The proposal also includes rehabilitation of the households that have encroached upon the tanks.

The sources say the Corporation decided on tank-rejuvenation because even though the area covered is only six per cent of the city, the impact will be felt by the entire city.

The model can also be replicated and immediately implemented because a detailed project report is ready and waiting.

City planners and experts were consulted before the corporation zeroed in on this developmental proposal.

The corporation also took into account the suggestions for a smart city given by the citizens.

Energy efficient street lights and traffic monitoring were recurring themes.

The corporation looked at other cities and found that Mumbai and Surat were implementing similar proposals – combining street lighting with surveillance cameras that were connected to the grid for traffic management.

This gave the civic body the impetus to do the same, said sources from the Corporation.

D. Nandakumar, president of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore.

Encroachments should be removed. The corporation should take up sewage treatment immediately. Untreated sewage is now being let into the water bodies. Rejuvenating of water bodies should be taken up as public/private partnership projects so that maintenance is not affected.

THE HINDU