PATNA: The state capital has slipped in the smart city rankings from 29 in 2019 to 35 in the latest country-wide rankings of 100 urban centres selected under the smart cities mission programme of the ministry of housing and urban affairs.
The Patna Smart City Limited (PSCL) has got the overall score of 54.99 out of 100 in the rankings published on November 29 on the Union ministry’s official website. The other cities in Bihar have fared worse with Bhagalpur ranked 66 with an overall score of 38.8, Biharsharif ranked 67 with a score of 38.66 and Muzaffarpur ranked 91 with 21.1 points. Muzaffarpur has got zero in compliance parameter.
The ranking is based on different parameters, including completion of smart cities mission projects, the cumulative value of tenders issued, work completed, and utilisation of funds, among others.
In individual markings, Patna fared poorly in project implementation with just 23.37 of 60 points. The PSCL has got 13.71 points for funds transfer, 7.41 for fund utilisation and 10.5 compliance rank.
Mayor Sita Sahu attributed the delay in projects, tender cancellations, cancellation of projects and frequent transfer of officers as the main reasons behind the Patna’s decline in rankings. “Several smart city projects under PSCL got cancelled after bidding was finalised. These projects include the station area redevelopment project, integrated command and control centre (ICCC), and rejuvenation of Bakerganj Nallah among others,” she told this newspaper on Monday.
“The number of ‘Jan Sewa kendras’ (public service centre) has been decreased from 75 for each ward to 28. Of which, the construction work is going on at only nine of them. In the ongoing projects under the smart city, one is Adalatganj Talab and beautification of Beerchand Patel Marg. The bidding process began again for the ICCC and the work is going on. So far, only one project of installation of mega-size screen at Gandhi Maidan is complete,” Sahu said.
“The amount allocated by the Centre has to be utilised within five years and around 3.5 years have already passed,” she added.
Patna divisional commissioner- cum- PSCL chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, on the other hand, said the ranking was not bad and it may improve in the next review as some projects under the smart city are going to be launched within a month. “Redevelopment of Adalatganj Talab, beautification of Beerchand Patel Marg and five public service centres would be ready in December for the inauguration. As far as the station area redevelopment project is concerned, the detailed project report is being prepared by the Bihar State Building Construction Corporation Limited. It will be finalised in December,” he said.