State govt all set to move Smart Doon proposal again

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 27

The BJP government has recalibrated the smart city proposal for Dehradun to be submitted to the Central Government on March 31 for the third time.

The proposal was rejected for the second time by the Central Government on the flimsy grounds, when it was presented by the Harish Rawat-led Congress government.

However, with the BJP government at the Centre and the state, the proposal is expected to get the go-ahead.

“I have held meetings with the officers and experts from IIT Roorkee and petroleum university to ensure that we meet all norms. Last time, we missed by a whisker in the ranking,” said Madan Kaushik, Uttarakhand Minister for Urban Development.

He said in the proposal, 10 wards had been taken up for the first part of the proposal.

“These encompass the area from Araghar Chowk, towards Clock Tower onwards… areas that have managed to fulfil the condition of having a proper waste management system, better sewerage plan, water connection and transport component,” he said.

The proposal will be brought before the board meeting of the Dehradun Municipal Corporation for the approval on March 29.

Further, in order to fulfil the Central Government’s commitment to provide housing for all, information has been sought from the local bodies for the number of persons requiring houses.

“We have received requirement of around 54,000 houses in the 70 urban local bodies. Around 30 local bodies are still remaining,” said Kaushik.

Now, residents expect that Dehradun would make it to the list of smart cities soon as the city missed out on previous chances.