Roads, solar lights & drains: GNIDA to develop 16 more ‘smart villages’

GREATER NOIDA: The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has identified 16 more villages, which the authority will develop as “smart villages” in a year.
The GNIDA will soon make a detailed project report (DPR) and issue a tender for the project, with an estimated cost of Rs 160 crore. The villages will get good roads, drainage systems, sewage systems, horticultural areas, playgrounds, ponds, solar lights, sanitation facilities, etc.
Surendra Singh, CEO, GNIDA, said the authority had selected 14 villages last year to develop them as smart villages. Work has started in those villages.
“We have selected 16 more villages this time. We will soon hire a consultant and conduct a study using a drone. Following this, we will draw up a DPR. Then, we will issue a tender and hire a developer for the project,” he said.
For the overall development of Greater Noida, the CEO said, “We need to improve the infrastructure of villages like sectors,” he said.
The 16 selected villages are Ghodi Bachhera, Kulesra, Khairpur Gurjar, Ethera, Haibatpur, Dhoom Manikpur, Milak Lachi, Devla, Kailashpur, Kasna, Dhadha, Etcher, Khanpur, Murshandpur, Luksar and Sakipur.
The Greater Noida authority has 124 villages in its jurisdiction. It earlier selected villages Maicha, Chapraulla, Sadullapur, Tilapta, Gharbara, Chirsi, Ladpura, Aminabad, Sirsa, Ghaghola, Astauli, Jalpura, Chipyana Khurd, Yusufpur Chak Shahberi. The project cost was Rs 150 crore.
A GNIDA official said the current project would involve two phases. In the first phase, each house will get water and sewage connections, and each village will get STP lines, a network of concrete roads, streetlights, community halls, etc. In the second phase, each village will get libraries, wi-fi hotspots, "smart" classes and training centres, sports grounds, etc.
Ratnesh Rahul Namberdar, a resident of Greater Noida, said though the GNIDA plans to make 16 more "smart villages", it is yet to complete the project in the first 14 villages. “I have visited some of these 14 villages, but they are not 'smart'. These villages still lack basic facilities such as concrete roads, schools, and hospitals. Officials need to expedite the work and visit the villages to see the ground reality,” he said.