Thiruvananthapuram: The city corporation can utilise the funds of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) from this year as the central government has accepted the Rs 103.73-crore detailed project report (DPR) sent by the city corporation. As per Mayor V.K. Prasanth, the first allotment of 6.63 crore has been made available for the work that has to be completed this financial year.
In the first phase, the corporation will improve the ponds and canals using the funds. AMRUT involves development works involving water supply, sewerage, urban transport, storm water network, green space and park. The corporation will give more importance to lay new sewage network and use the underutilised Muttathara sewage treatment plant, he said.
The corporation has included a bicycle track between Technopark and Kazhakoottam under the category of urban transport of AMRUT. “IT professionals have a grievance that they have to bank on autorickshaws at night for short trips to Kazhakoottam junction. So we plan to build a cycle track here. Cycle is already being provided for techies by a company inside the park. We will make arrangements to avail of cycles outside,” the Mayor said.
It was unclear whether the track can be realised this year as NHAI permission will be needed for the project. “We aim to reduce the gap between the service given and the service a citizen deserves by formulating Service-Level Improvement Plan (SLIP). This way we plan to attract a total of '500 crore in five years,” he said. For works under AMRUT, the central government will give 50 per cent of the funds, the state government has to provide 30 per cent and the corporation should bear 20 per cent of the expenses.
