Open House: Do you see any changes around you that show Amritsar is becoming a Smart City?

No positive visible changes

Advertisement

Amritsar is still far from becoming a Smart City. There are no positive visible changes that show that the city is on its way to becoming “smart”. Rather, there are many negative changes that show that the city is on its way to becoming the dirtiest city. The holy city lacks many things to become a Smart City. In walled areas of the city, garbage has increased manifold as the number of years rolled by. The development works initiated by previous governments have ruined the entire map of the city. This is because many area roads have been dug for making bridges and flyovers, but as the development works stopped midway no government ever cared to complete them. The result is that lots of roads in the city are in a deplorable condition, leading to accidents and traffic chaos almost every day. All governments and Municipal Corporation authorities only boast of expensive development works to make Amritsar a smart city, but nothing has been done ever positively in this direction. Street dog menace in the city has increased manifold. Public toilets made by governments in the city are in poor shape. Employees of the Gujarat gas pipeline had dug up area on roads to supply gas to their consumers, but they didn’t bother to cover the area even after finishing their work, causing inconvenience to commuters. Except a few areas, there is no greenery anywhere in the city. Pollution has increased as a huge number of trees have been cut by previous governments to make roads, which are always full of vehicles causing noise pollution. So, in this scenario nobody can claim that Amritsar city is on its way to become a smart city.

Sanjay Chawla

Couldn’t finalise tender in four years

If we are to analyse the work done or under process by Amritsar Smart City Limited, the limited space here is not sufficient for it. I just quote the example of a parking lot proposed by it at the Kairon market, Hall Bazaar, in 2018. Till date, so many tenders have been floated for the project that I lost the count because till July 2021, they had floated eight tenders with four or five corrigendum for each tender. When this project was conceived its cost was estimated as Rs 18 crore, whereas the last tender was floated for Rs 32 crore and still no tender has been finalised. Though we proudly claim that Made in India Vikrant has joined the naval fleet, but we as a smart city could not finalise a tender for a parking lot in four years whereas cost of the same has escalated from Rs 18 crore to Rs 32 crore. The efficiency of the smart city department could be judged from the fact my application dated February 18, 2019, under the RTI Act regarding this project is pending till date. Though on my request, the Director, Smart City Division, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, directed the local office vide a letter dated April 3, 2020, to provide me the desired information, but to no avail. I am still awaiting response to my application. So here is just one example of how our city is going to become smart in near future.

Naresh Johar

Need for focussed approach

Smart cities address urban challenges such as pollution, energy efficiency, security, parking, traffic, transportation and others by utilising advanced technologies in data gathering and communications interconnectivity via the Internet. It provides real-time and remote monitoring for different aspects of data management in areas such as transportation, communication, video surveillance and sensors distributed throughout the city. In Amritsar, we don’t see any improvement. Definitely, Amritsar can become a Smart City one day. But, there is a need for a focussed approach.

Rohit Kumar Sehdev

Projects lie abandoned

The Smart City Mission is a scheme under which some selected cities are funded to enable them to provide better municipal services. All Punjab municipal corporations are now included, though Amritsar joined the list only in 2016. A single round of the walled city betrays all drumming and publicity in face of the reality. The ill-conceived Rs 36-crore project of the beautification of the Circular Road from the Lahori Gate to Sultanwind Gate lies abandoned, with not a stone having been laid after the results of the Assembly elections in March 2022. All three parks dug out for renovation opposite Sri Guru Ram Dass Hospital, now overgrown with grass, cry for footpaths and flowers. The speed breakers need redesigning. The section near Ram Bagh never ever received attention. The portable public latrines, which were placed near the Valmiki Temple, always lie locked from outside with all filth flowing onto the road. There is a well-known bird market where you one can buy protected varieties with the wildlife authorities least bothered about it. I think the only success achieved under this mission is the provision of LEDs as promised. But if the city is to host the G-20 meet, much more will have to be done and done fast. The new minister seems seized of the matter.

Prof Mohan Singh

Need political stability for progress of city

The concept of a Smart City is a municipality that makes use of information and communication technology to increase operational efficiency, to share information with the public, to improve the quality of service and help in citizens’ welfare. With economy-based tourism, Amritsar aims to enhance its rich cultural, historical and religious heritage by making it green and vibrant, with world-class infrastructure. Under the Amritsar Smart City Project, there are many aspects like regular water supply, rejuvenation and beautification of the Tung Dhab drain, LED streetlights and the Amritsar Smart Road, among many other projects. The CAG found that only five of 32 projects in Amritsar could be completed by October 2020. Same is the case with other Smart Cities like Ludhiana and Jalandhar. But it seems that after the formation of the AAP government in Punjab, more fault-finding political projects have been started by opposition parties and the new government is busy in defending its performance, thus delaying progress in the remaining projects. Unless and until there is political stability and all political parties are devoted to the welfare of the state, the progress will be very slow. Though an Opposition is an integral part of a vibrant democracy, not every move by the government should be opposed.

EL Singh

Civic issues remain unresolved

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, launched the Smart City Mission in 2015 under the stewardship of Prime Minister Narender Modi. The vision foreseen was to make these cities liveable and breathable. Among the 100 cities earmarked for development as Smart Cities, three cities — Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar — were chosen from Punjab. It was one big move that could catapult India into a smart nation by rejuvenating urban renewal for its 30 per cent population. Coming to Amritsar, I have no hesitation in saying that there is no visible change in the landscape of Amritsar. The problems of waterlogging, traffic, contaminated water supply, continual electricity cuts and collection of garbage have not been addressed to date. Heaps of garbage can be seen all over the city, may it be inner or civil area. There is no respite for residents of the Bhagtanwala area where garbage landfill is situated. Local leaders have intervened to stall the piped-line gas project. Files move, but at a snail’s pace. Personal interests get prioritised. Sadly, national-level projects take a back seat. People are pinning some hope as G-20 summit is going to take place here.

Ashwani Kumar Joshi

Six years on, a lot needs to be done

Though it has been around six years since Amritsar was included in the Smart City Mission, no tangible progress has been made practically. Trafficlights at many locations like the crossing near the Golden Gate are dysfunctional, making it difficult to cross roads. There are potholes on the streets, like the road near Nexus Amritsar is in a very bad condition. There are many autorickshaws being driven illegally on the roads, which must be checked by Traffic Police. Though some good initiatives have been taken under the Smart City Mission like installation of solar panels on rooftops of some government buildings, installing thematic lights under flyovers etc. a lot needs to be done. The participation of citizens is necessary in the Smart City Mission so that they can give their valuable feedback for quick resolution of problems.

Jatinderpal Singh Batth

QUESTION

Several persons were injured when a high-rise spinning swing broke down at 50 ft and fell on the ground at a fair in Mohali district recently. With so many fairs and carnivals happening across the state, do you think the authorities take appropriate safety measures to avoid such mishaps?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to amritsardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (September 15)