Commercial Taxes and Registration Minister K. C. Veeramani and Labour Welfare Minister Nilofer Kafeel on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for the ₹1,000 crore Smart City Vellore project, with 50% investment from the Centre.
The projects will focus on some key areas, including establishment of an integrated bus stand, construction of underground drainage scheme at cost of ₹537.37 crore, improvement in water supply and solid waste management project.
At a function held at a private marriage hall, Mr. Veeramani said that 10 cities from the State were selected for providing world class infrastructure facilities. He was proud that the Vellore Municipal Corporation was one of them. Works to the tune of ₹576 crore had been designed to be carried out in the first phase and they would be be completed in two years, he said. Ms. Kafeel hailed the project that would bring big changes.
Tiruvannamalai MP, R. Vanaroja called upon the Opposition parties to stay united to get the necessary infrastructure for the city.
DMK stand
DMK MLAs criticised the way Corporation officials for ‘hiding’ the project from the people. However, they welcomed the project and hoped that the execution of works would also be ‘smart’.
Meanwhile, BJP workers rushed to the stage to protest the “blacking out” of the Union Government’s contribution to the project’.
When Mr. Veeramani made specific references to the Union Government’s contribution to the project, the agitators were pacified.
District Collector in his address called for the cooperation of all segments to complete this project on time.
He said it was the responsibility of the people to keep the city smart one in all respects. Vellore City Municipal Corporation Commissioner, S. Sivasubramanian listed the various measures taken out to keep the city garbage-free and plastic free’.
Executive Engineer of VCMC, M. Kannan, assistant executive engineer S. Jagadeesan, ruling party MLAs S.Ravi, G. Loganathan, DMK MLAs J.L. Esawarappan, P. Karthikeyan, and A.P. Nandakumar spoke at the event.