Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The ambitious Smart City Mission project of the Central Government is likely to be wound up (closed down) soon. There are no indications that the Central Government will extend the deadline for the project. Therefore, after the completion of the ongoing projects under the Smart City Mission, they will be handed over to the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC). After that, the operations of the Smart City will have to be closed down.
Earlier, the Central Government extended the Smart City Mission until March 2026. Besides, both the Central and the State Governments have stopped providing funds. The development works currently underway through the Smart City are in their final stages. After these works are completed, the employees will also have to wrap up their work. Only a few employees will remain operational. Although the Smart City Mission will be closed, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation will not be shut down. The company’s operations will continue, but its existence will depend on its income. The company will have to function as a Project Management Consultant (PMC), generating revenue through this role.
As of now, only the Smart City’s construction works like roads, safari park, bus depot, and super-speciality hospital projects are underway. These works are expected to continue for another one to one and a half years, allowing the employees involved in these projects to continue their work even after March, said the sources. The projects completed by Smart City have not yet been officially transferred to the CSMC. Their maintenance and repairs are still handled by the Smart City headquarters.