AGARTALA, June 19 (TIWN): While inaugurating SMART City project in Agartala Banamalipur on Tuesday, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb has said that the water-logging problem of Agartala city specially in Banamalipur area (CM’s constituency) has been decreased this year except one-day which suffered from technical problems and in coming days, such problems will be permanently ended. In the SMART City project which will be ended by 2 years, the Govt has focused on drainage system at the most and water-drainage system and hopefully by 2 years Agartala city will be better shape. This water-logging problem which is being faced by the new Govt has been a problem of decades. Unscientific city construction, no proper drainage system has worsened the matter. In a sudden splash of rain, the city starts flooding. While addressing the gathering, CM 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 properties have to be moved, which is not possible may affect public life. Thus, Govt will focus on basic facilities given to the people”.

Thus along with SMART City, people’s mentality have to be upgraded and keeping the city clean is everyone’s responsibility, the CM said.

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.