Faridabad selected to be a smart city.

Having missed the bus in the first round, Faridabad recently secured a berth in a 'fast-track' list of 13 towns that will be developed into smart cities.

The Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) had submitted a Smart City Proposal (SCP), projecting a total expenditure of Rs.2,600.01 crore, to the Union Ministry of Urban Development last month to compete for a place in the list of Fast Track Smart Cities.

The Centre announced the list recently.

MCF Commissioner Aditya Dahiya said that while preparing the SCP, the deficiencies pointed out by the Ministry in the earlier submitted proposal were taken into consideration.

He added that the updated SCP was improved not only with the ideas, visions and views of the residents of Faridabad, but also with the suggestions and ideas given by the members of the Inter-Departmental Task Force Committee and the State-Level High Powered Steering Committee.

The revised SCP includes a vision statement: creating economic impact through transit orient development and smarter mobility and urbanism for social and environmental benefits.

The plan includes area-based development proposals. Under this, an area of 1,267 acres embracing Sector 20, including Friends Colony and Karkhana Bagh, Sector 20A including Sant Nagar and Ajrondi village, Sector 21B including village Fatehpur Chandela, Sector 21D including adjoining colonies SGM Nagar F and G Block and Indra Enclave, Sector 19 including Shastri Colony, Gopi Colony, Shiv Colony, Raja Garden, Baba Nagar, NH-5 Nissun Hut, will be developed. The SCP also includes smart mobility, footpaths and non-motorised transport (NMT) lanes.

There will also be an Intelligent Traffic Management System, which comprises synchronised traffic signals for optimum traffic flow, intelligent car-parking system, smart signages, smart auto and taxi stands and a public bike sharing system.

Apart from this, smart civic infrastructure has also been included in the revised SCP.

THE HINDU