STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Guwahati Smart City Ltd (GSCL) has geared up to start 17 projects in the metropolitan city costing Rs 843.63 crore from this month. GSCL is facing public ire for its inordinate delay in project implementation. GSCL claims to have completed seven of its 24 projects. The estimated cost of the 24 projects is Rs 1011.73 crore.
Talking to The Sentinel, a GSCL official said, "We couldn't implement projects due to various reasons, including court cases. We have sorted out all those hiccups. Now we are ready to start the remaining 17 projects.
"The biggest of the 24 projects is the development of the Brahmaputra river from Kacharighat to the new DC Bungalow at Uzan Bazar. The estimated cost of this project is Rs 330 crore. The technical evaluation of the bids for this project is complete.
"The second-biggest project is ITMS (Integrated Traffic Management System) with an estimated cost of Rs 119.50 crore. The technical evaluation of the bids of this project is also over.
"The bids for purchasing a fleet of 200 electric buses costing Rs 207 crore and a fleet of 100 AC CNG buses costing Rs 44 crore are under technical evaluation.
"We have issued the work orders of the Rs 10.80-crore project for the development of Aswaklanta at North Guwahati, the Rs 14.02-crore project for the development of Umananda Temple at Peacock Island in the Brahmaputra, the Rs 17-crore project for the development of Dakhin Pat Xatra, the Rs 2.60-crore welcome gate at Khanamukh at Amingaon, Rs 24-crore spine road lighting project, Rs 14.50-crore Project Jyoti Phase-II and Rs 5.49-crore lighting and sound show project at Gandhi Mandap.
"While the date for bid submission for the Rs 6-crore project for the development of Deepor Beel will expire on March 9, bids for the Rs 5.12-crore streetscape and beautification of the project at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra is over. The tenders for the Rs 12-crore light and sound show project at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra are under technical evaluation.
"We have floated tenders for the Rs 5.60-crore project for the renovation of the museum at Gandhi Mandap.
"We have released Rs 26 crore for the purchase of ten Super Sucker Machines for drain management.
"The Rs 2.60-crore project for the development of Judges Field is in the technical process."
The seven completed projects are-- water ATM, bio-toilet, installation of the National Flag at Gandhi Mandap, Renovation of the Gandhi Mandap, Project Jyoti Phase-I, equipment for GMC and lighting at Kalakshetra.
The Central Government released Rs 196 crore from 2015 to 2018 for various projects under GSCL. However, the Centre has not released any funds since 2018. GSCL has used Rs 74.25 crore of the funds released as of January 2022.
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