Work on a crucial component of the Rs 10,500-crore Ranchi Smart City Project is likely to begin later this month after chief minister Raghubar Das lays the foundation of projects, that include transportation, power and water supply systems, on Friday.
CEO of Ranchi Smart City Corporation Ltd Ashish Singhmar said decks had finally been cleared for infrastructure development work of the area based development (ABD) component of the smart city project, the foundation of which was laid by Vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu on September 9, 2017.
Apart from the ABD component, the Ranchi Smart City Project, to be executed in the capital’s HEC area, has another component of projects under pan-city development.
Ranchi is among 100 cities under India’s Smart City mission.
“The infrastructure development of ABD covers road and transport system, waste water management, storm water drainage, plantations, smart street lighting, power infrastructure and water supply systems covering the entire ABD area of 656.30 acre at an estimated cost of Rs 514 crore in Dhurwa-Jagannathpur,” explained Singhmar.
Jharkhand Urban Infrastructure Development Company Limited (Juidco) is the executing agency of the project. “We are committed to start construction work soon after the foundation stone is laid by the chief minister. The project will be completed in two years time,” he said.
Pan-city development comprises model roads and integrated traffic and transport systems with all aspects brought under one umbrella through the use of ICT (information-communication-technology).
According to sources, Juidco would finalise tenders soon so that work, to be entrusted to a private builder, on the ABD component could begin immediately.
“The proposed land use includes institutional (136.37 acre), residential (79.8 acre), commercial (68.6 acre), public (57.57 acre), mixed-use (71.90 acre) and open spaces, including green lungs, roads (243.19 acre). The area will have a contemporary feel. The other components of the project would include a clutch of vocation-specific institutions, drainage and rainwater harvesting facilities, among others,” said a smart city corporation official.
Among the educational institutions that are slated to come up are residential schools and colleges with modern amenities, skill centres, a Jharkhand Urban and Planning Management Institute, health and a research institute, a law college, fashion and hotel management cradles, etc.
“The project got delayed due to land related issues. We needed 656.30 acre, but HEC had transferred only 508.44 acre. However, the formal signing of the deed of conveyance took place last month to hand over the remaining (147.86 acre) land to the smart city corporation. With all hurdles cleared we are committed to start construction work at the earliest,” said a senior Juidco official.
