City to participate in ‘Streets For People Challenge’

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, Oct 25: The city will participate in ‘Streets for People Challenge’ initiative to make streets more walking-friendly.

As part of the challenge, three roads- Connaught Circle, Kranti Chowk to Osmanpura Circle and Paithan Gate to Gulmandi- were selected for the pilot project.

The India Smart Cities Mission under union Ministry of Urban Development launched the initiative that encourages the cities to reimagine streets as public spaces through the lens of economic regeneration, safety, and child-friendly interventions, to ensure a green recovery from Covid-19.

Aurangabad Municipal Corporation administrator and Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL) CEO Astik Kumar Pandey, following discussions with ASCDCL team and AMC officials, has decided to select Connaught Circle, Kranti Chowk to Osmanpura Circle and Paithan Gate to Gulmandi as a pilot project.

A team of Aurangabad Smart City led by assistant project manager Sneha Mohan Nair along with co-founders of Aurangabad based Urban Research Collaborative Shrinivas Deshmukh and Pallavi Deore had been conducting a ground survey of different streets over the last one month to shortlist the roads based on various parameters.

The team prepare solutions to create spaces on these stretches for pedestrians, for beautification and economic development, keeping citizens at the core of planning.

Astik Kumar Pandey said that this initiative is for people and it will be implemented with their coordination. "We appeal to the citizen groups, designers, students, NGOs and the media to partner with AMC and the ASCDCL,” he said.

Open street events were planned for the three streets in November where citizens will get an idea about the campaign and an opportunity to participate.