While the pedestrian plaza and smart bike projects are well underway, there are many other plans for Chennai under the Smart Cities Mission, all at at various stages of progress. While Chennai started its smart city projects a couple of years after other cities did, it has caught up with the latter now, feels Raj Cherubal, CEO of Chennai Smart City Limited (CSCL).
A few exciting projects in store include the restoration of the Mambalam Canal. The restoration efforts will not only focus on cleaning of the canal but also the creation of usable public spaces around the same, with walking paths and seating spaces.
The focussed effort that has gone into the conceptualization and execution of projects under the smart city banner in Chennai has been crucial to the city’s launching of some mega projects in collaboration with organizations such as the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
In the coming months, Chennai can look forward to projects such as Intelligent Traffic Management System, which will include cameras at most traffic junctions. This is expected to improve compliance with rules and ease the work of the traffic police, says Raj.
Another project that CSCL is looking to execute is the launch of smart classrooms and upgrade corporation run schools in the city, in terms of infrastructure and improvement of outcomes. The idea is to make corporation schools sought-after by all.
Raj discusses other efforts, such as the identification of various properties of Corporation and agencies such as the MTC that can be developed commercially in order to yield higher revenue. These projects extend beyond the initial brief of the smart city and the new projects are designed to be sustainable environmentally and financially, says Raj.
Watch the final part of our interview to find out what Chennaiites can look forward to over the next few years!
[Interviewed by Laasya Shekhar]
True but as long as there no co ordination between EB, Water board & Corporation departments the projects which are implemented are getting spoiled because of unplanned execution of repair works. The unplanned repair execution works by the departments leaves path holes and dust everywhere makes city more vulnerable to dust and more risk for pedestrians & motorist.
Right now only smart people can manage to walk by jumping on pedestrian place which is occupied by pipes, car parks….and we talk about smart city….shame….
Kindly take necessary steps to increase the tree cover in the city, especially along the pavement of the roads.
Take necessary actions against encroachment of water bodies and increase its storage capacity.
Take essential steps for effective waste management in the city. Be extremely careful against illegal dumping of biomedical waste and poultry waste.
Check the pollution levels in the city and take necessary steps to improve the quality of air and water. Ensure the last mile connectivity of the public transport system and reduce the traffic levels and waiting time. Ensure that emergency vehicles could reach the destination hassle free and top priority is given for them at the traffic signals. A separate lane could be reserved for cyclists and emergency services.
Great plan, please execute for real and faster not only in news.
First, city must concentrate of implementing underground sewage in every place.
Sir,thanks for your agenda of transforming the city more user friendly,only two points I want to highlight and most important also,
(1)The width of the platform had been increased beyond usage,
So road width got reduced,
Day by day ,we see more transport vehicles like two wheelers,cars,buses, commercial vehicles on road ,but the roads got reduced by bigger platforms,what we need is wide roads,instead we reduced it under smart city,we can see cars being parked over platforms,the roads became one way on many areas,
So the remedy is depending on the size of the road, size of the platform should be reduced,or platform on only one side of the road to avoid traffic congestion-result wide roads,we can avoid violations such as parking on platforms, commercial encroachments etc,
When roads got reduced,how vehicles will ply on road, where is the way to go or move,many peoole are thinking of even leaving the city,
So this is not right for a smart city,so do the better way,
Thanks,
Regards,
K.balachandran
Dear officials kindly take care of Adayar river from jafferkhan pet to adayar river end
Clean river, make green both sides, pedestrians walk, lights,put charges from public for further maintenance.
Next generation people will not excuse for negligence and delay.
All traffic signals must install traffic penalty for jumping signals , this is major reason for accidents and bikers auto car no one care for pedestrians. they way they stand is like sprinters waiting for gun shop to start runnning