No new Smart City projects as Chennai Corporation uses up all of Rs 1,000 crore

As per the Smart City Mission, Chennai has been granted Rs1,000 crore, which includes the State government’s share of Rs 500 crore. “We have spent Rs 972 crore of the total allocation, and the projects are either in the execution stage or in the tendering process. As with the remaining funds, the Chennai Smart City Board has accorded sanctions for two projects,” a Corporation official said.

It has been learnt that the two projects sanctioned are the beautification of Venkatnarayana Road and GN Chetty Road in T Nagar, besides the restoration of 45 waterbodies in the city. The Smart City project has provided impetus to many of the stalled projects of the civic body, including pedestrian plaza and multi-level car parking in T Nagar, cycle-sharing, and integrated parking management system, among other projects.

“As all the allotted funds are earmarked for the projects in the execution level and to the tender projects, there will be no new projects under the Smart City Mission,” the official added. When asked whether there is any proposal at the Central to allocate more funds, the official hinted its likelihood and added that the government would take the final call.

According to data available with DT Next, the city civic body has completed eight projects worth Rs 26.34 crore, and 17 projects worth Rs 336.83 crore are in the execution stage, while tenders worth Rs 357.19 crore are called for six projects.

“We have taken steps to float the tenders and issue work orders faster as we cannot process once the Lok Sabha date is announced,” a Chennai Corporation source said.

Besides Chennai, the Central government alone has allocated Rs 500 crore each to the other 11 cities selected under the Smart City Mission.