The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Capital Region Development Programme (CRDP) has been prepared and a company to implement the project will be formed soon, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said here on Friday.
He was speaking at a seminar on capital development based on the announcements in the State Budget for the financial year 2021-22.
“Developing the capital as a knowledge hub will be the most suitable option. Even common people will be part of this initiative. There will not be a digital divide. Our idea of knowledge society implies access to knowledge for everyone, who then would play a part in innovation. The infrastructure needed for these industries are now being developed,” he said.
Dr. Isaac said funds had been allocated from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) for a host of projects, including the Vattiyurkavu junction development, and for the construction of flyovers. The second phase of the City Road Improvement Project (CRIP) will also begin soon. These projects, along with the proposed flyovers at Pattom and Ulloor, would smoothen the traffic flow within the city.
He said the existing sewage treatment plant might be insufficient to meet the demands in the future, owing to which extensions to the same would be made. As part of the ‘Aarogya Nagaram’ initiative, a ₹700-crore project to improve the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, was being implemented.
Heritage city
Dr. Isaac placed the heritage city project as one of the most promising projects for the city that will change its face, with conservation activities of the various heritage buildings and spots. The film city project at Chithranjali would turn the city into one of the best production hubs in the State.
“What we have envisaged in the Budget are the projects to be carried out in the city over the next five years. We will consult with domain experts from various areas to formulate these projects,” he said.
He asked Mayor Arya Rajendran to turn the city Corporation into a coordinator of all the projects taken up by the various departments in the city. The Mayor had to organise review meetings every three months to analyse the progress of these projects.
Personalities from various fields and city residents put forward their suggestions regarding the city’s development. Former Chief Secretary S.M. Vijayanand said a master plan was necessary for spatial planning of the city’s development. He said the lack of a BUDS School within the Corporation area had to be addressed.
Social Justice Department Secretary Biju Prabhakar said walkways and foot bridges were necessary in various parts of the city. Filmmaker Shaji N. Karun lauded the government for taking up the Chithranjali film city project.
