Nagpur-based firm to clear garbage dump in 18 months

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 18 

The waste dump in Dadu Majra is set “to be cleared in 18 months as the work for mining of legacy waste, besides underground utility mapping and e-governance services projects” was allotted to various companies here today. 

The Board of Directors of Chandigarh Smart City Limited, during a meeting, sanctioned the work for  mining of legacy waste to the lowest successful bidder — SMS Limited of Nagpur — for Rs 34 crore against the estimated cost of Rs 40 crore. The work will be completed in 18 months and the city will be able to get rid of the 5-lakh metric tonne of garbage dump, which has accumulated in Dadu Majra over the years. 

Officials said the garbage dump would be cleared off by the firm in a scientific and hygienic manner. Residents in the vicinity will get rid of foul smell and leachate oozing out from the garbage dump.

A nod was also given to the selection of a system integrator for implementation of e-governance services for the city. After the services are implemented, various services such as issuing of birth and death certificates, payment of property taxes, electricity-water bill payment and the approval of building plans will be accessible through a mobile application and web portal. In all, 28 services, including online building plan approval system, will be implemented under this project. The work is expected to be completed in a year for Rs 11.50 crore by the lowest bidder — PricewaterHouse Cooper Private Limited.

The Board also cleared the project for underground utility mapping in Chandigarh. The work will be carried out for Rs 6 crore in six months. All underground utilities — water supply pipelines, sewerage network, OFC network — will be mapped using latest GPR technology. 

The Board has also cleared the project of implementation of SCADA system for recycled water distribution network, implementation of smart class rooms and improvement of basic infrastructure in four schools of Chandigarh on a pilot basis. As many as 90 classrooms of government schools in Sectors 22, 35 and 43 will be provided with interactive boards, projectors, smart classroom lighting and fire alarms. 

The work to upgrade smart classrooms will be completed in about six months for Rs 4.80 crore and the related civil infrastructure of school building will be upgraded at the cost of Rs 53 lakh. 

The Board has also cleared the draft for 24*7 water supply for the city costing Rs 440 crore and the same has been submitted to Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) for financing of the project from the French development agency, AFD (Agence Francaise de Development).