The age-old city with an eclectic mix of tradition and modernity is getting a makeover under the Smart City Mission. Here is a low down on the hows and whys…
by Sudheer Goutham
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Thiruvananthapuram is the richest temple city in India.It is now a well-known fact that the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple has estimated riches worth over one lakh crore in its vaults in the form of gold coins, diamonds, rubies and emerald studded idols, and that estimate was in 2011. What is more! There is one more vault that is still not opened. No one knows how much more treasure lies in the vault.
It was in 1750 that King Marthanda Varma of the Travancore Royal family bowed before the main shine at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple and surrendered everything he owned to the presiding deity. The royal family has continued thus.
Such is the treasure that several smart cities could be developed but the state would ensure its security and safety and believes that there is religious and historical significance to the findings. So for now, the small town with big riches is getting a makeover even as the majestic Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple stands tall in the middle of the city overlooking the skyscrapers, multi-level parking and development of numerous parks and water tanks that dot the city.
Thiruvananthapuram has several advantages; it is strategically located. Being at the tip of South India hugging the Indian Ocean and the Arabian sea it was in the past a busy trading post for spices, sandalwood and ivory with ships docking at the Vizhinjam just in the outskirts of the city. It is being developed as a deepwater multipurpose seaport. The airport is one of the busiest in the country and ranks in the top twenty airports. Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum as it is known to the English speaking is a gateway to the Middle East and South Asian countries.
Mix of the old and new
Just two-and-a-half decades ago, the city with a population under 10 lakh was self-sufficient and referred as a pensioners’ paradise. A customary trip to the numerous temples, a Sunday brunch on the vast green carpet of the Kanakakkunnu Palace, a short visit to the zoo and an occasional visit to the Kovalam beach and backwaters at Veli backwaters was what an average person would think of but with the rapid urbanisation and proliferation of IT companies, the city has changed a lot. It is now a knowledge-driven digital hub and close to 300 IT companies.
Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Limited
Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Limited (SCTL) is a SPV which was incorporated under LSGD for implementing the Smart City Mission (Central Scheme) in Thiruvananthapuram with a total project outlay of Rs. 1538 Cr. As per Smart City proposal there are 43 project modules with a total project costing of Rs.1538 Cr. (the funding pattern is Rs. 500 Cr from Centre, Rs. 500 from State, Rs. 136 Cr from Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Rs. 260 Cr from other Central schemes and Rs. 142 Cr. from PPP).
Under the mission, the nine central wards of Thiruvananthapuram city through the retrofit model (urban infrastructure improvement) for Area based Development (ABD) plus a Pan-city initiative in which Smart Solutions would be developed. The Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a meeting recently said that the government would implement a wide range of projects aimed at the development of the capital. Integrated social housing complex for slum households Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Limited.
Smart City timeline
In 2015, the Union Ministry of Urban Development announced the Smart Cities Challenge to create exemplar areas in cities by merging innovative plans with latest technologies. The Smart Cities Mission proposed a two stage selection process. Thiruvananthapuram made it in 2017 in the third round of smart city selection. P Bala Kiran, CEO, Smart City Trivandrum Limited says, “The use of technology, state-of-the-art infrastructure would go a long way in developing roads, car parking and social inclusiveness.
” As per Smart City proposal there are 43 modules with a total project costing of Rs.1538 Cr. (The funding pattern is Rs. 500 Cr from Centre, Rs. 500 from State, Rs. 136 Cr from Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Rs. 260 Cr from other Central schemes and Rs. 142 Cr. from PPP). M/s IPE Global Ltd. was Smart City timeline Integrated social housing complex for slum households selected as the Project Management Consultant (PMC) through the tendering process in May 2018 for a period of three years.
The challenges include basic services such as water, sanitation and waste management. Emphasis is placed on equitable access to these urban basic services, especially for the poor. It promotes the development of clean, energy efficient, affordable, and human-centered design that can deliver better services to citizens, while at the same time make the most effective use of natural resources and cutting down on fossil fuel reliance and energy consumption.
Out of the total project outlay of Rs. 1538 Cr, only Rs. 1135.7 Cr is taken up by SCTL using grants received from Centre, State and Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and 40 projects have been sanctioned by the SCTL Board. Detailed Project Reports of 39 projects worth Rs. 1129.3 Cr has already been completed so far and Administrative Sanction has been issued for all these projects. Technical Sanction for 37 projects has been issued for projects worth Rs. 1084.45 Cr. 33 Projects worth Rs. 1017.44 Cr. have been tendered. Work order has been issued for 21 projects (50%) worth Rs.75.56 Cr.
The major projects which have already received Administrative Sanction include Smart Roads (Rs.615 Cr.), Redevelopment of Palayam Market with MLCP & Rehabilitation block (Rs. 126 Cr.), Integrated Command and Control Centre (Rs. 94.21 Cr), Traffic and Safety Command and Control Centre (Rs. 68.59 Cr.), Rajajinagar Slum Redevelopment Project (Rs. 61 Cr), Underground subway at East Fort (Rs. 43 Cr), Multilevel car parking behind Saphalyam Complex: TRIDA ‘A’ Block (Rs. 33 Cr), MLCP at Thambanoor (Rs. 22.90 Cr), OAT at Putharikandam- Maidanam (Rs. 15.93 Cr), Warehousing at Chalai (Rs. 15 Cr), Urban Street Haat at CharitraVeedhi (Rs. 5.81 Cr), Rooftop Solar Panel Installations (Rs. 4.11 Cr), Drinking Water Kiosks ( Rs. 2.52 Cr), Cultural Street- ManaveeyamVeedhi (Rs. 1.92 Cr), Upgradation of Public Toilets (Rs. 1.4 Cr), Redevelopment of Parks (PonnaraSreedhar, Children’s Park, EK Nayanar Park, Shri Chitra Park) and installation of Open Gym (Rs. 1.43 Cr), Tanks Redevelopment – Puthenchanda& Sreekandeswaram (Rs. 1.45 Cr) Development of Smart Bus Shelters at 6 locations (Rs. 1.57 Cr), Rain Water harvesting (Rs. 86 Lakhs), Procurement of Electrito rickshaws (Rs. 80 Lakhs) with EV charging infrastructure, Upgradation of Anganwadi and PHC (Rs. 2.77 Cr) etc.
There are other Convergence projects which are already implemented under Swadesh Darshan Project and AMRUT (infrastructure projects) Water supply, Drainage and Storm Water Drains.
The planning and designing of these projects and the site supervision of the construction sites are regularly supervised and monitored by SCTL’s Project Management Consultant team for quality standards. The overall objective to bring in the best contractors with prior experience in respective fields for all development works to boost the local economy and generate employment opportunities. SCTL is also planning to rope in empanelled agencies of the Government of Kerala for minor civil works and long term asset maintenance of all projects so that they get hands on training in such works. Start-ups are also being encouraged for participation for various works depending on domain expertise. SCTL would like to encourage corporate/other entities to participate in the development/ Maintenance works of SCTL by leveraging their CSR funds.
The construction of Multi Level Car Parking at Thampanoor opposite Central Railway Station, the project envisages creation of a G+4 storeyed smart parking system for 22 cars and around 400 bike parking space along with EV Charging system.
Smart Road Project involves construction of multi utility ducts to lay Electrical cables (LT/ HT), telecom, digital TV and OFC cables, Construction of Smart Bus stops at 25 locations. 15 E-autos to promote electric mobility and E-Vehicle charging infrastructure is being created parallel.
The existing Connemara Market at Palayam is being dismantled and a new market building is being planned for construction with G+3 structure and 2 levels of Basement Parking for 300 car parks (Electro-Mechanical). The Ground Floor will be used to accommodate existing vendors at the market and the upper floors would be leased out to suitable agencies by Trivandrum Corporation and SCTL.
A 100 Meter long underground Subway is proposed to be constructed at East Fort Connecting West Nada to Chalai Market (passing via Gandhi Park) at an estimated cost of Rs. 43Cr. Chalai is one of the oldest markets. A warehousing facility is being planned at Chalai to develop a storage facility for keeping goods of vendors from Chalai Market and nearby markets. The construction is proposed using prefabricated material at an estimated cost of Rs. 13.4Cr. The Waste dump at TRIDA land at Attakulangara has to be cleared for construction of the warehousing complex.
The reclamation of land is being done through the process of Biomining and the legacy waste would be cleared as per CPCB norms. In order to remove the legacy waste at Chalai Market, the process of Biomining is to be performed and is planned at an estimated and is planned at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.65 Cr. This project along with warehousing project would be tendered together by 20th Aug 2020. Cover Story 12 Open air gym at three locations
Construction of Open Air Theatre and Park at PutharikandamMaidanam
ManaveeyamVeedhi is a 180 m road stretch from Museum -Vellayambalam road to the Althara junction. This street is famous for the numerous artworks on display along the road and numerous cultural performances it hosts. SCTL’s proposal is to facilitate the current activities in the Veedhi by giving the street a physical makeover and convert ManaveeyamVeedhi as a Cultural Street in all sense.
The new streetscape design is pedestrian dominant and universally accessible, the design components are a covered venue, sculptures, art gallery space, Exercise park, street library, gender friendly toilets, drinking water fountains, food kiosks and cycle parking area.
The estimated project cost is approximately Rs. 1.92 Cr and is expected to tender at the end of August 2020. The construction of utility ducting and such works would be taken up under Smart Road Project and parallely the tender for the architectural/ aesthetic works would be tendered.
Cultural Streets
The smart city project looks to catapult Thiruvananthapuram and make it ready for the future. The temple town is slowly metamorphosing into a global city with IT companies making a bee-line and tourism growing by the day. The government has also facilitated for favourable laws for business and improved ease of doing business. With globalisation the order of the day and as boundaries blur, Thiruvananthapuram is rebooting for good.
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