Smart Cities in India

Recently, CM Fadnavis informed that 10 cities of Maharashtra would compete with other states to bag the ‘Smart City’ projects which meant to get the more advanced and well developed urban infrastructure.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis stated that there are 10 cities from our state which is being nominated for the Centre’s “Smart Cities” project and we will compete with the entries of other states to bag funds from central to develop more advanced and developed urban infrastructure. Edged out emerging towns from the developed cities of Maharashtra are in the race to bag the funds from central. However; the name of shortlisted cities are; Mumbai, Kalyan – Dombivali, Navi Mumbai, Thane from MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan region), Pune, Solapur, Pimpri – Chinchwad from Western Maharashtra, Nagpur and Amravati from Vidarbha, Nashik from North Maharashtra and Aurangabad from Marathwada.

Recently, Central Government of India, has identified development of new towns close to those cities which are well developed because its key behind the smart city initiative where central government will contribute Rs 50 crore each year towards the smart city project. According to Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India there are lacks of infrastructure and basic amenities in the new emerging towns of Maharashtra and due to that soon CM will announce next plan for development, which will focus on the urban areas or Maharashtra. This report observed that out of 36 none of the town has even the basic service level benchmarks for solid waste management, sewage management and water supply, however; the audit was for the period of 2011 to 2014. According to CAG report, water supplied in 50 per cent of the audited towns are between 25 to 69 litres per day per person, however; according to government norms it should be between 70 to 70 litres per day per person. It was observed that due to loss from distribution system, treatment plans, reduced efficiency of water the problem of irregular water supply comes in existence.

Almost there is no town which found to be segrating municipal waste; the more CAG added that the numbers of towns are not even authorized by the state pollution for the waste disposal facilities. However; the CAG has also identified irregularities in the main irrigation projects in all over the state and there are many mini projects which don’t have approved master plan.

Image credits: DNA

On Tuesday August 4, 2015  a three storey residential building collapse in Thane and it is reported that eleven are dead and many people rescued after the accident.

According to reports, building named as ‘Krishna Niwas’ which is located at Thane’s B Cabin area in Naupada crashed at 2.30 am. It is expected that there are many people under the rubble and they are feared trapped.

Mira Ramchandra Bhatt (58), Arun Dattatray Sawant (62), Manda Arvind Nene (17), Ku. Khot (7), Rachita Bhat (25), Ramchandra Pandurang Bhat (62), Subras Pandurang Bhatt (56), Priya Amrut Patel (11), Rashmi Ramchandra Bhatt (25), Bhakti Sawant (30), and Amit Sawant are few among the dead, however; search for two more dead bodies are still in the process. The injured persons are; Rameshchandra Galaji Mina, Mohan Devaji Mina, Amrutlal Laxmichand Patel, Arvind Nene and Shankar Khenaji Mina and they have been admitted into a nearby hospital, soon after the accident.

Responsive team of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) and Fire Brigade were engaged in the rescue operation and Collector Ashwini Joshi, Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde, and Municipal Commissioner were monitoring the rescue operation.

According to officials of Thane Municipal Corporation, long before they had issued notices to residents of same building regarding the condition of building. The more they added that after the notice some families had evacuated the building, but others continued to stay there.