Smart city: Address basic issues first, say residents

Kawaljeet Kaur

Amritsar, January 8

The Union government has recently released a grant of Rs 500 crore for Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana under the Smart City project. 

City residents are of the view that without addressing the basic problems, it is difficult to convert the city into a smart one. They feel that the government and public should work together to address the issues of the city.

Mandeep Kaur, a college student, said, “Cleanliness is a major issue in the city. Residents and the government both are responsible for this mess. Due to a scarcity of dustbins, people dump their waste anywhere on the road. The government should take a proper step in this regard.”

Dr Rakesh Sharma, professor at a local government medical college, said, “Lack of civic and traffic sense is a major hurdle in making Amritsar a smart city. The city residents are also careless. We should look within and evaluate ourselves. If the residents are not smart, how can the city become smart?”

Prince Anand, an employee of a private firm, said, “Investing solely in infrastructure will not make Amritsar a smart city. The government should pay attention to the daily problems of the city residents. The city suffers from the problem of inefficient transportation system, power cuts and poor waste management.” 

Sunil Kumar, a local shopkeeper, said, “The ill-maintained public property is also a big concern. Many public buildings are in a poor condition and crying for upkeep. The residents should be sensitised to use the public property more responsibly.”

MC Commissioner Sonali Giri said, “We are making all efforts. To make the city smart, good roads shall be constructed. The city will have special parking space. We are also looking for an alternative site for the solid waste management project. We are putting in efforts to keep the city clean.”