Civic body vows mega projects

Patna: The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) is planning to develop shopping complexes, library, cafeteria, a park, modern abattoir and affordable houses for residents on the corporation’s land. These proposals will be put up in the PMC’s standing committee meeting to be chaired by mayor Sita Sahu on July 31.

Sahu said on Thursday that a majority of these proposals were likely to get a nod in the standing committee meeting as there was consensus among standing committee members about these mega projects that they must be taken up by the corporation.

“There is a proposal of making a commercial complex on the Patna Regional Development Authority (PRDA) land apart from the PMC’s vacant land in front of the Saidpur hostel. There is another vacant plot of the corporation on Arya Kumar Road. A proposal to develop a commercial complex on this plot would also be put in Tuesday’s meeting,” said Sahu, while adding that all these proposals were aimed at generating revenue as well as providing more entertainment avenues for the residents at the same time.

“The detailed project report of the shopping complexes, cafeteria and library are already being made. As per plan, the corporation would take up these projects by taking loan from bank. We have decided not to enter into public-private partnership mode because there would be technical glitches and a lot of no-objection certificate would be required for that,” added Sahu.

She said there was another plan of developing a new market in place of the existing market at Bhavar Pokhar. “Also, there is a plan of commercial development project at a municipal corporation land at Rajendra Nagar. Apart from this, we also have a plan to develop a park near McDowell Golambar (roundabout) besides a plan of making a cafeteria and library near National Institute of Technology (NIT), Patna. All these proposals would be put up in the upcoming standing committee meeting besides the proposal of making affordable homes on a 10-acre land near the Patna Sahib railway station,” added Sahu.

Among the other proposals which would be put up in the meeting include beautification work to be taken up around the land of Bari Patan Devi temple in Patna City among others. Sahu said the proposal of making a modern abattoir on the PMC land, which was scheduled to be put up in the upcoming meeting, was also one of the ambitious projects as it would ensure that residents get meat from hygienic shops. With the opening of the modern slaughterhouse, PMC will be able to abide by the apex court ruling on stopping open slaughter of animals as well as providing hygienic meat to shoppers here. At present, open slaughtering of animals in an unhygienic condition is a major concern for citizens, said Sahu.

“The objective is to stop the existing practice of blatant display of cruelty to animals on the roadside. The slaughter of animals would be done in a scientific way in the modern abattoir,” added Sahu.

Proposal

One of the proposals that would be put up in the July 31 meeting is that PMC will have to fund ward councillors’ visit to other cities so that they learn best practices in civic works being implemented there and take home their learning for further implementation in the state capital.

Courtesy: The Telegraph