- NET Web Desk
In an attempt to design the urban mobility along Agartala city, the Government of India (GoI) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have reached an understanding and signed a memorandum, thereby granting a $61 million (Rs. 458 Crore) loan to improve livability, harness technology, promoting new developments required for accommodation of expanding population.
The initiative has been undertaken to transform the northeastern state’s capital into a city emphasizing on improved service delivery.
The Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs in Ministry of Finance, Rajat Kumar Mishra signed on behalf of the Centre. While, the Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission Mr Takeo Konishi signed on behalf of ADB.
According to the Additional Secretary Mr. Mishra, the Agartala City Urban Development Project stresses on ‘Smart City Mission’ vision.
This project aims to upgrade the urban infrastructural facilities, focusing on better road connectivity, flood resilient measures, thereby transforming the tourist services into attractive ones.
“Through this project, ADB will catalyze synergies with the smart city components being implemented in Agartala through an underground utility corridor with shifting of electrical lines, incorporating elderly, women, children, and differently abled responsive features, improving road geometry along with urban design interventions,” – asserted Mr. Konishi.
According to PIB report, the provision of an asset management and sustainability strategy, capacity-building of tourism operators and livelihood improvement of street vendors and artisans will serve as a model to other assets and tourist attractions across Tripura.
The Project focuses to construct and upgrade 48 kms of new or existing storm water drainage and build a 23-kms of climate-resilient urban roads.
Meanwhile, other interventions would incorporate of – renovating open spaces and creating water recreation and lakeside walkways in the Maharaja Bir Bikram College lake and the Ujjayanta Palace which are major tourist attractions in the city.
Furthermore, the loan will support in developing Agartala’s central and north zones as models of area-based development, based on principles of smart city mission initiative.
It will transform the urban areas into livable, citizen-friendly, resilient, and sustainable stretches.
