Govt plans Streets for People under Smart City mission
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 05 2022:
The state government is planning to develop two 'Streets for People' where the public as well as tourists could spend leisure time, go on walk or chit chat with friends while at the same time showcasing historic information for public knowledge in Imphal city under Smart City Mission of the ministry of urban development.
The two flagship pilot projects will be taken up along the street between BT Park and Johnstone Higher Secondary School, and the street between the eastern side of Kangla Nongpokthong to Ananda Singh Academy.
Chief minister N Biren held a meeting in this regard with MAHUD minister Y Khemchand, Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba and senior officials of MAHUD department on Monday.
According to an official source, the two pilot projects will be taken up under Smart City Mission as Imphal was enlisted among 100 Smart Cities of the country for development of modern urban amenities.
Among the 100 smart cities, 39 were selected for flagship pilot projects and Imphal is one of them.
The concept design for the project also won special jury award of the ministry of urban development.
As per the guideline, one of the two projects should be taken up in commercial area and the other in slum areas or in the outskirt of the city.
Consequently, the government picked the street on the eastern side of BT Park for commercial area and Checkon street for slum area.
The two streets will be made people-friendly where they can walk or ride bicycles.
Since the eastern street of BT Park has many historical places like Pologround, museum and the BT Park itself, the government picked it as the most suitable location for the project.
A wall will be constructed on the Johnstone Higher Secondary School side where statues of around 10 lesser known freedom fighters will be installed and information about them as well as history of the state will be inscribed on the wall.
It will help people of the state as well as tourists in getting acquainted with the history of Manipur and its freedom fighters.
The wall on the BT Park side will also require some modification in order to make it as an integral part of the street.
Colourful lightings will also be installed on the walls to add the aesthetics of the street.
The streets will have e-library kiosks where historical information will be available.
It can be used for educational purpose by anybody, the source said.
PDA will be the implementing agency of the projects for which Rs 10 crore has been earmarked.
However, the project for Checkon area will have higher cost as it will need construction of drainage system.
Both the projects should be completed within one year.