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Vizagites expect faster, good development
Winning eighth rank among the 20 cities selected the smart city challenges, seems would hasten the comprehensive development of the city,
Visakhapatnam: Winning eighth rank among the 20 cities selected the smart city challenges, seems would hasten the comprehensive development of the city, which has drawn the attention of the world with two major events- Partnership Summit held last month and the ensuing International Fleet Review slated to begin from February 4.
People who have won over the Hudhud super cyclone with grit and wisdom are now upbeat over the announcement of smart cities ranking list by the Union Minister for Urban Development, M Venkaiah Naidu, on Thursday.
Thanks to the International Fleet Review and the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee as the chief guests, Vizag roads got a new look with Rs 130 crore spent by both the corporation and the VUDA during last two months. The roads are widened and blacktopped with hundreds of grown up trees in the middle of the road and either sides of the road.
“There is dramatic improvement in the road condition. The infrastructure got huge focus after the Hudhud. Further international events beautified the city,” said a travel agent from Siripuram K Suresh. However, the Left parties said the Smart City should have focused on relocating over 300 slums by building decent houses for the dwellers, instead of focusing on the already developed areas. “We have been insisting that the slums should be done away with using the funds available from the Centre under the smart cities project. But, the authorities gave importance to populistic views like development of RK Beach with Rs 550 crore”, said CPM city secretary B Ganga Rao and CPI city secretary JV Satyanarayana.
However, students and young employees say the focus should be on nutritious food, round-the-clock medical facilities, improved public transport, night life, entertainment joints all over the city and streamlining the administration. The Smart City project brings internet facility more accessible, 24 x 7 power, top class infrastructure and digital administration.
The city has a population of 20 lakh and the literacy rate is 82 percent.
KMP Patnaik
