Representative imageKochi: Kochi occupies the pride of place among the 20 smart cities that the Centre has declared across the country, but it has now earned the dubious distinction of figuring in the list of laggards in implementing the project.
Though a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to oversee its implementation was floated in March, the post of chief executive officer (CEO) still lies vacant. The company, christened the Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML), is yet to open its office or recruit the required staff.
While most of the cities featuring in the coveted list launched various development projects under the Mission on June 25, the first anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the initiative, Kerala’s commercial capital could not come up with a single original project due to lack of foresight and planning. The authorities tried to save their face by launching the renovation of St. John’s Park in Fort Kochi and Pashnithodu, that are originally part of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) programme.
The Central government had released Rs. 194 crore for Kochi as the first installment under the Smart Cities Mission in April, but the State government has not bothered to transfer the amount to the company account. Moreover, the State is yet to finalise the details of its contribution towards the implementation of the project.
The delay in implementing the Smart City Mission in Kochi, which aims at integrated city planning, is mainly attributed to model code of conduct enforced for assembly elections and the subsequent change of government. Though a month has passed since the LDF government took charge, the project has not made much headway.
Chennai and Coimbatore, the two cities selected from Tamil Nadu where assembly elections were held in May, are also lagging far behind other Indian cities in implementing the scheme. Both these cities have formed SPVs and appointed municipal commissioners as managing directors.
Kochi Corporation secretary Amit Meena is the managing director of CSML, but the work on scaling up the programme objectives has not hit the top gear yet.
Recently, the director board has decided to seek the service of a project management consultant for the formulation of projects and a detailed project report (DPR). The last for submission of tenders is July 18.
Interestingly, Kochi, which could feature among the 20 cities in the country on the strength of the proposal it submitted for the Smart City Challenge initiated by the Centre, was among the first five cities to form an SPV.
Even before the declaration of the smart cities for the first phase, the members of the high-power committee headed by the chief secretary had held several rounds of discussions to select the CEO. The panel recommended that an IAS officer should be appointed as full-time CEO of the SPV and he/she should not be transferred during next three years.
As Kochi has been included in the AMRUT programme as well, the projects under it will be implemented under the Smart City Mission. The St. John’s Park in Fort Kochi, which is being renovated currently, is in West Kochi, which is part of the areas brought under the Area Development Plan envisaged by the Urban Development Ministry. However, Pashnithodu does not belong to the Smart City zone.
Kochi will receive a total of Rs 400 crore, that includes the Central allocation and the State’s contribution, in the first phase of the Mission. The remaining fund will be released to urban local bodies at frequent intervals in the next five years. If the States fail to utilse the plan fund effectively and meet the deadlines, it will affect the fund allocation.
Kochi urgently needs much more by way of planning as it will be pushed behind further if the city does not expedite the required processes to implement the project.
