— Over ₹500 Crore Allocated for Infrastructure, 15th Finance Commission, and Smart City Projects
Lucknow: A significant meeting focused on the city’s development was held at the Smart City Limited office under the leadership of Mayor Sushma Kharkwal. The meeting, chaired at the Urban Local Body (ULB) level Standing Committee, aimed to select development works under the Infrastructure Fund. Present at the meeting were Municipal Commissioner Gaurav Kumar, Additional Commissioner Lalit Kumar, Pankaj Srivastava, Arun Kumar Gupta, Dr. Arvind Kumar Rao, GM Jal Kal Kuldeep Singh, Chief Engineer (Civil) Mahesh Verma, Chief Engineer (RR) Manoj Kumar Prabhat, and all executive engineers.
Modern Facilities to Improve Air Quality
Under the 15th Finance Commission, ₹64.50 crore has been allocated for air quality improvement. Of this, ₹35.45 crore will be spent on repairing damaged roads and installing interlocking tiles. An additional ₹7 crore will go toward anti-smog guns and setting up Construction & Demolition (C\&D) waste collection centers. To enhance the city’s aesthetics, ₹1 crore will be used for installing fountains at major intersections. Beautification of parks and the development of an urban forest will be carried out with an allocation of ₹11.05 crore. Additionally, ₹9 crore has been earmarked for geofencing of encroachment-free lands to ensure effective monitoring.
Solid Waste Management to Improve with 25 New Projects
Under the solid waste management component of the 15th Finance Commission, ₹173 crore has been allocated. This will be utilized for fresh waste disposal at the Shivri solid waste plant, construction of transfer stations, improvement of drinking water supply systems, and procurement of waste management machinery. The committee approved a total of 25 such projects, with a directive to ensure timely and quality execution.
Infrastructure Fund to Strengthen Basic Urban Facilities
Using the ₹160 crore received under the Infrastructure Fund, 17 major works will be undertaken. These include cleaning of Kathauta and Bharwara lakes, repair of roads and drains, construction of drainage systems for water discharge, beautification of city intersections, development of Kalyan Mandap, installation of street lights and electrification, flood pumping stations, vending zones, and development of sports facilities under flyovers.
New Roads to be Connected Under CM Grid Phase III
Regarding the selection of projects under the third phase of the CM Grid Scheme, instructions were issued to ensure that the newly proposed roads connect with those built in the first and second phases. A fresh survey of these routes will be conducted, and regular progress reports will be submitted.
City to Get a New Look Under CM Global Nagarodaya Yojana
A proposal of ₹103.50 crore under the Chief Minister’s Global Nagarodaya Yojana will be sent to the state government. The proposal includes the construction of a multipurpose complex on Ayodhya Road, redevelopment and beautification of city intersections, traffic improvement initiatives, construction of Zonal Office (Zone-7), development of an urban forest, construction of a children’s home, smart parking solutions, and a multipurpose sports stadium.
Preparedness for Monsoon: Focus on Drain Cleaning
All chief engineers and zonal officers have been instructed to ensure that all city drains—big and small—are cleaned by June 26. Any failure resulting in waterlogging during the monsoon will lead to action against the responsible officials. Furthermore, all flood pumping stations are to be inspected and tested to ensure they remain fully operational throughout the rainy season.
