AGARTALA, June 18 (TIWN): Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb today has inaugurated various developmental projects including the SMART City project at the cost of Rs. 2000 crores which will be sponsored 50% by the central govt and rest 50% by the state govt. Addressing the gathering after inauguration, Chief Minister said that Agartala’s drainage system’s development will be first priority of the Govt. Deb said, “Agartala was never a planned city. It was built before 150 years and continued to be congested. If Govt attempts to change the whole structure then lakhs of people’s houses need to be bulldozed, which nobody will want”. Biplab Deb mentioned, once smart city is made by loans and 50% central funds, then to maintain the smart city Municipal Corporation needs tax increase, otherwise it can not be maintained. Thus along with SMART City, people’s mentality have to be upgraded. It can be mentioned here, dirtiness across Agartala is just not fault of corporation, rather people’s negligence and throwing garbage here and there, even in drains have destroyed the city further. According to Govt press release given on the background of smart city project inauguration, it was said, Agartala the second largest city of Northeast is all set to get a facelift with multiple initiatives in next two years where PAN-city project envisages of Rs113.49 Cr.

According to Govt press release given on the background of smart city project inauguration, it was said, Agartala the second largest city of Northeast is all set to get a facelift with multiple initiatives in next two years where PAN-city project envisages of Rs113.49 Cr. 

Applying Smart Solutions to the existing city-wide infrastructure besides, use of technology, information, and data to make infrastructure and services better. In Agartala, PAN city projects majorly focus on Integrated Intelligent Transport Management System, Smart Network, and Rapid Transit System (RTS) have been aimed to benefit and improve the quality of life of the citizens. Smart Toilet installation near Children’s Park, cycle track from Math Chowmuhani to historical MBB College campus, enhancement of road-lanes from two and more in 13 routes in the heart of Agartala city and another one route from Agartala to Airport, smart accommodations of slum dwellers, modernization of tourist spots in the city. There are initiatives of modernizing the islands of 12 chawks in Agartala city with different themes of football, books, a tribal culture where 45 thematic bus stops to be installed soon with a real-time display in the boards, said Special Secretary Urban Development of Tripura Kiran Gitte.

As part of the city development initiative of Agartala under Smart City Mission, a team of Agence Française de Développement (AFD), French development bank which signed an agreement with India to provide a loan of 100 million Euro to 15 smart city projects finalised work module of Riverfront Development Project in River Howrah.

The five-member team comprising officials from Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and AFD has inspected two separate stretches of River Howrah, the upstream stretch in the city and held several rounds of meeting with the officials and engineers of Urban Development Department and Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) on the preparatory sketch of the project made by Agartala Smart City Mission.