DNA takes a look at where AMC stands as far as its pending projects are concerned even as municipal commissioner is set to present the budget today.
After elections and Vibrant Gujarat Summit, various departments of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) are engaged in preparing their budgets. Amid this activity, DNA takes a look at some of the major proposals announced in last year’s budget which have not materialised as yet.
These pending proposals include the flyover from Judge’s Bungalow road to Sindhu Bhavan in new west zone, Balvatika in Kankaria and the ambitious and much-hyped Oxygen Park.
Development of Balvatika
Cost: Rs50 lakh
New activities and a learning centre were planned at Kankaria’s Balvatika. These were proposed in AMC’s budget 2012-13 but are yet to start. Stating the reason for delay, an official of Kankaria requesting anonymity said, “The proposal wasn’t working out as we had thought. The design and concept of the learning centre is likely to be ready by April.” The official further said that after the final design is prepared, funds will be allocated. The work is likely to begin by mid-2013.
Flyovers
Cost: Rs25 crore
In the last budget, AMC had proposed to construct a flyover from Judges Bungalow road to Sindhu Bhavan and a two-level flyover at Helmet circle. As the announcement met with lot of opposition from residents, the proposal has been scrapped at least for a few years. An AMC official of the road department said, “No survey has been conducted on the feasibility of the project. But those junctions identified by Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) in its survey will be considered and constructing flyovers over them will be a priority.”
Hydroelectricity
Cost: Rs250 lakh
One of the interesting proposals presented in AMC’s budget 2012-13 was to generate hydroelectricity through sewage water. Though only 45 KW electricity will be generated through waste water in the sewage treatment plant (STP) at Raska and Pirana, it will be sufficient to provide electricity to the STP. An official of the STP department of AMC said, “Earlier, we had planned to float expressions of interest for setting up the plant. But since the response was not satisfactory, we decided to go for tendering process in August-September 2012.” Due to elections and code of conduct there has been delay and the tenders will be floated soon, he added. The plant is likely to be set up within a few months.
Oxygen park
Cost: Rs15 lakh
The ambitious Oxygen Park at Bapunagar, for which the foundation stone was laid in 2011, is still waiting to witness construction work. AMC appointed a contractor to construct the Oxygen Park and blacklisted the party for not starting the work on time. Since then it has not appointed another contractor. An official of east zone requesting anonymity said, “Since a year or more has passed since the foundation stone was laid, we are preparing a revised estimate of the entire project.” The official further said that it will take a month for an estimate of the revised cost to be made after which tenders will be floated.
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