Karimnagar, Mahbubnagar in race to win Smart city tag?

Smart city slogan is not a monopoly of Chandrababu government in Andhra Pradesh, Even its neighbour Telangana has an equal share in the program of Smart cities promoted with central funds. It is learnt that the Centre is considering either Karimnagar or Mahbubnagar for Smart city project.

The new state of Telangana has sought "smart city" status for six towns in the state which includes Warangal, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Khammam, Ramagundam and Mahbubnagar and their inclusion in the Union government programme to develop "100 smart cities" across the country.

All these towns fit into the population criteria of 2 lakh to 10 lakh as per Census 2011, Telangana urban population comprises 3.64 per cent of national urban population and government hopes to get at least four "smart cities" for TS out of 100 across the country.

The Telengana government also wants the centre to develop seven municipalities as "satellite townships" which are located within a distance of 100 kilometres from the capital city Hyderabad. They are Medchal, Gajwel, Bhongir, Peddamberpet, Shadnagar, Vikarabaad and Sangareddy municipalities.

The Centre had already selected Vikarabad to develop it as a "smart city" under JNNURM by allotting Rs 135 crore and the CMO is working feverishly to ensure that Gajwel, the constituency of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is also in the list for bringing about an all round development of urban infrastructure.