Street for people challenge likely to be canceled

Aurangabad, June 12:

The ‘Street for People’Challenge under the Smart City Scheme was implemented in the city last year. The city clinched 11th position in the country in this challenge and the Smart City Corporation was given an award for it last year. Now, this challenge has been discontinued this year, informed the reliable sources. On the other hand, Aurangabad Municipal Corporation has a huge amount to complete this challenge.

Under the Smart City Scheme, the central government implemented the ‘Street for People’ challenge in 113 cities in the country. The challenge included making parking arrangements on the main roads in the city, providing safety to the pedestrians and encouraging walking, beautification of roads, to implement several tasks to enhance the local economy. This challenge was implemented on an experimental basis at Kranti Chowk and Connaught Place. Now, this year it was announced that the road between Gopal Tee-point, Paithan Gate to Gulmandi, Connaught Place, and Priyadarshini Garden areas will be developed.

The Smart City officers held several meetings with the traders of Paithan Gate and Connaught Place areas and they assured us that they will assist the Smart City in this challenge. The parking issue at Paithan Gate was solved. However, it is being said that the challenge has been canceled now.

Until now, lakhs of rupees have been spent on planning the development of these four roads. The designs for it were sought from experts from all over the country. All these expenditure done is of no use now.