No more cement roads in city: Astik Kumar Pandey

Aurangabad, Jan 28:

Administrator of Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) Astik Kumar Pandey announced that the all-new roads would be constructed from tar in the city after the completion of ongoing cement road works.

In a special interview with Lokmat Times on Thursday, he spoke about different development projects. Astik Kumar Pandey who tackled Novel coronavirus successfully here said that cement roads are not environment friendly.

“The construction of cement roads result in the increase of the city’s temperature. The cost of construction is also high. Therefore, the city will have new roads from tar. A total of Rs 100 crore would be used for tar roads,” he said.

The AMC administrator claimed that COVID is over in the city as the test of 1319 suspects was carried while only 24 of them were found positive.

A total of 30,911 patients were reported within the jurisdiction of the civic body till today while 30,000 of them were recovered. A total of 820 died from the pandemic virus and 60 are undergoing treatment. The vaccination is being done here. The vaccine strengthens the immune system. Based on this, the threat of COVID is over.

The vaccination of health, security and sanitation employees is undergoing as per the Central Government guidelines.Nearly 20,000 persons would be vaccinated until March. In the second phase, the vaccine would be administered to 98,000 people, including people’s representatives and senior officers.

Efforts are being made to develop Menltron COVID Care Centre as epidemics hospital of Marathwada. The AMC keeps aside Rs 12 crore in a separate account every month for the hospital’s development. A proposal of hiring required staff was sent to the State Government for running the hospital in coming days.

The AMC is gearing up to draft a new development plan of the city after the previous plan got rejected by the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the proposal has been sent to the state government for its approval. The plan will include the demands and needs of the citizens in the future.

The efforts to improve the financial condition of AMC are being made consistently. Of the total outstanding bills of Rs 286 crore, Rs 200 crore payments had been cleared. The AMC has to contribute its share of Rs 250 crore in the Smart City Mission and Rs 28 crore of Swachhata Abhiyan. Meanwhile, the AMC expects to receive a fund of Rs 120 crore from the state government and Rs 50 crore under the Swachhata Abhiyan. The financial instability in AMC emerged (or disturbed) due to construction of concrete roads (beyond its financial capacity) of valuing Rs 250 crore in the past.

The civic administration is seeking the assistance of technology to enhance its income. With a view to empower e-Office in the first phase, the process of purchasing the required hardware has begun. We will develop a payment getaway. Later on, the civic body will undertake G.I. survey, followed by thermal and door to door survey. This will help AMC detect the properties existing above the surface and below the land's surface. The assistance of technology will help assess the properties accurately and collect appropriate tax from each property-holder accordingly. Presently, the challenge is to overcome technical shortcoming and provide basic amenities to citizens desirous to pay taxes.

The functioning of Sant Eknath Natyamandir and the swimming pool at Siddharth Garden will start from February. The renovation of Sant Tukaram Natyagruh (in Cidco) will also be undertaken by spending Rs 2 crore through the Smart City project, soon.

The AMC is also drafting a new policy to introduce parking discipline in the city and eliminate parking woes' problems. Meanwhile, the matter is sub judice. As a result, the new policy will be brought into the notice of the court. Similar is the situation of Hawkers Zone. I am hoping that the results are likely to be ought in the next three months.

Development works of valuing Rs 1,000 crore are sanctioned under the Smart City Mission. The union Government will contribute Rs 500 crore, while Rs 250 crore each will be contributed by the State Government and the AMC respectively, in the project. So far, Rs 200 crore had spent upon Smart City Buses and Rs 200 crore more would be spending. A fund of Rs 250 crore will be spent upon the development of the Wildlife Safari Park. To be precise, the development works of valuing between Rs 600 crore and Rs 700 crore are underway as a part of the Smart City project.