Strengthening infrastructure to promote archaeological tourism around Rockfort, beautification of teppakulam, creation of a heritage centre, building a foot bridge along the Cauvery between Mambazhasalai and Amma Mandapam, and renovation of Gandhi Market complex are among the prominent proposals unveiled by Tiruchi Corporation under the Smart City project.
Having decided to go in for area-based development of the old city limits around the famous Rockfort under the project, the corporation has outlined the development proposals in its budget for 2018-19.
The area is the most densely populated part of the city and its main commercial hub and also houses popular tourism landmarks such as the Rockfort, Our Lady of Lourdes Church and Nathervali Dargah, attracting a substantial floating population. The civic body proposes to create necessary structures at these places to promote archaeological tourism.
Smart solutions
Various smart solutions in terms of transportation, tourism promotion, heritage protection, water supply, sanitation, and other civic amenities are being planned.
“The area development plan will cover about seven sq km around Rockfort. The civic infrastructure in these areas will be strengthened in a big away,” N. Ravichandran, Special Officer-cum-Commissioner, Tiruchi Corporation, told The Hindu.
The Corporation is on the threshold of appointing a consultant to prepare detailed project reports for the proposals followed by a tendering process. It proposes to beautify the teppakulam of the Rockfort temple by laying pedestrian pavement all around with decorative lighting. A heritage centre has also been envisaged. All these works are planned to be executed at a cost of ₹82.50 crore. A foot bridge and amusement avenues along the Cauvery are planned at an investment of ₹58.54 crore.
Renovation of Gandhi Market and Chathram Bus Stand, creation of multi-level parking, smart bus stands, smart schools, development of parks, tapping solar energy in public buildings, ensuring uninterrupted drinking water supply, creating storm water drainage and retrieving a portion of land through bio mining at the Ariyamangalam garbage dump are among the other proposals to be taken up under the project. The proposals forwarded to Tamil Nadu Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TUFIDCO) envisage a total investment of ₹1,156.44 crore.
Leaving aside the Smart City proposals, the budget estimates, released by Mr. Ravichandran recently, project the civic body’s total revenue for the next financial year at ₹494.62 crore and expenditure at ₹493.79 crore, leaving a surplus of ₹83 lakh. The revised estimates for the current financial year show a surplus of ₹60 lakh against the budget estimate of ₹98 lakh.
Integrated bus stand
In a significant statement in the budget, the Corporation has said steps are being taken to get clearances (for land alienation) from the Department of Prisons to establish an integrated bus stand in an area of about 100 acres at Kottapattu as announced (by Chief Minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami) during the MGR centenary celebration held in the city in October last.
This is the first time that the Corporation has indicated the choice of the site for the proposed bus stand. It has also made a token provision of ₹100 lakh in the budget for the project, which, in all probability, will be executed with government assistance and loans from funding agencies.
