“Hyderabad will be developed as ‘Global Smart City’”

September 1, 2014

Minister for Irrigation T. Harish Rao said the government was committed to develop Hyderabad as a ‘Global Smart City’ and showcase as an ‘investor-friendly’ destination by implementing the assurances made by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to CREDAI (Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India).

At the concluding ceremony of the 3{+r}{+d}edition of CREDAI Hyderabad Property Show, 2014 on Sunday, he said the State welcomed all communities to stay in Hyderabad and that in two years, the government could assure 365 days of power and water supply. “We will issue the GO on rationalised seigniorage fee to Rs. 3 per square foot of built-up area very soon. We can see a boom in the real estate sector in Hyderabad from 2015 onwards,” he said.

National president CREDAI, Shekar Reddy said Telangana had set an example for other States to follow, with Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s assurance to remove unwanted NOC, single window approval and removal of VAT and Non-Agriculture Tax (NALA) too.

Source:The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Andhra Pradesh, Smart City

Is Tirupati ready to become a smart city?

August 5, 2014

An aerial view of Tirupati.—Photo: K.V. Poornachandra Kumar

It requires realistic planning, robust execution, unflinching political will and uninterrupted flow of funds

The evolution of Tirupati from a Tier-II city into a smart city, as envisaged by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, will require realistic planning, robust execution, unflinching political will, keen persuasion by the State and needless to say uninterrupted flow of funds.

In a nutshell, it takes a lot of efforts for the idea to translate into a reality. Though the project’s contours are still hazy and there is nothing on paper yet, city planners and policy makers are taking little steps in that direction with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s directive to envisage plans for the next 50 years, not 20 years being the guiding light.

District Minister Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy, who is holding the portfolio of Environment and Forests, calls a ‘smart city’ as the one that provides ‘all comforts to all its residents’. “The proposed smart city will offer housing, water supply, sanitation, electricity, state-of-the-art public transport, higher education, civic amenities and other infrastructural facilities to all its residents by using ‘smart’ technology. It will be an enviable place to live in”, the minister told The Hindu.

While Tirupati relies more on travel, tourism and hospitality industries that generate a major chunk of income, Union Minister Shripad Naik laid the stone for the prestigious Indian Culinary Institute (ICI) here on Sunday, which assures a quantum leap on this front. Now, it is all set to become an Information Technology destination, with the Cabinet clearing the proposals for an IT hub, a Centre-sponsored IT Investment Region (ITIR) and also a Tirupati-Anantapur IT corridor.

The ambitious mix of travel, hospitality and IT industries is sure to catapult Tirupati several rungs higher to make it a real ‘smart city’.

With the city having the imposing Tirumala hills on its immediate north, planned expansion has to happen in the other three directions – Renigunta-Karakambadi on the east, Chandragiri on the west and Rayala Cheruvu on the south. The Avilala and Peruru tanks located on the immediate southern and western make planners task all the more difficult as any expansion has to happen without touching these major water bodies.

In fact, when planned for the next 50 years, the outer periphery of Tirupati is likely to extend southwards up to Puttur-Nagari on the Tamil Nadu border, Mannavaram-Yerpedu-Srikalahasti on the north-east, Rangampet on north-west and Pakala to south-west. “Development of satellite townships and industrial hubs will have to be planned in these directions, considering the natural limitations around the city such as hills, water bodies and reserve forests”, says I. Venkateswara Reddy, Vice-Chairman of the Tirupati Urban Development Authority.

(Reporting by A. D. Rangarajan)

Source:The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Andhra Pradesh, Smart City

ATAI bats for regional airports

August 5, 2014

Representatives of airlines, AAI and govt. to meet on August 24

The Air Travellers Association of India has stepped up pressure on the government for reutilisation of old airports constructed long ago and establishment of regional airports in Srikakulam, Nellore, Ongole, Tadepalligudem of West Godavari district, Badangi of Vizianagaram district and other places to meet the future needs of passengers.

The organisation hailed the decision of the government to construct airports in all districts while cautioning that places should be selected strategically to ensure sufficient air traffic from the particular area.

The Association will organise a meeting in Visakhapatnam on August 24 in Visakhapatnam with representatives of airlines, Airport Authority of India and State government. Establishment of regional airports is going to top the agenda of the meeting in which Union Civil Aviation Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju will participate as the chief guest. Association national president D.Varada Reddy held a review meeting with Srikakulam representatives including Natukula Mohan, Korada Haragopal, Kondababu and others here on Monday. He felt that either Etcherla or Narasannapeta would be the right choice for setting up an airport in Srikakulam district so that it could cater the needs of nearby districts of Odisha.

“Hundreds of travellers are forced to travel to Vizag to catch flights. Regional airports will certainly benefit people,” said Mr.Varada Reddy.

“At present, Odisha commuters have to travel either to Berahampur or Vishakapatnam to fly to Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and New Delhi,” he added.

The Air Travellers Association will request airlines to operate more international services from Visakhapatnam since Indian Navy permitted operations in nights, he said.

Source:The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Andhra Pradesh

MVD’s interceptors turn money-spinners

July 31, 2014

The Hindu MVD officials on enforcement drive using the newly inducted interceptor. Photo : Special arrangement

Mobile interceptors of the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) in the district have proved to be money-spinners, these two interceptors in the city have raked in over Rs. 25 lakh in just over a couple of months

Mobile interceptors of the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) in the district have proved to be money-spinners.

Two interceptors have raked in over Rs. 25 lakh in just over a couple of months, with the department laughing all the way to the bank.

Those carried away by the thrill of over-speeding have turned out to be the biggest contributors, with motorists indulging in drunk, rash and negligent driving left not too far behind.

With the speed limit restricted to 30 km per hour (kmph) near schools, the strategic deployment of interceptors near these institutions helps bring in more moolah as hitting even 40 kmph is chargeable.

The drivers of taxis and other transportation vehicles speeding along at 90 kmph along four lane national highways ignorant of the 70-kmph restriction are also trapped by interceptors.

Only private vehicles are allowed 90-kmph speed on national highways.

No barriers for these buses

Private buses plying in the city have the uncanny knack of flouting rules notwithstanding the odds stacked against their actions.

A classic case plays out at Pipeline near Palarivattom Bypass Junction.

Not that long ago, the traffic police put up barriers along the stretch considering the narrowness of the Kakkanad-Palarivattom Road and the haphazard traffic approaching the bypass junction.

The barriers erected down the middle of the road were meant to bring about a semblance of order and more specifically aimed at keeping in check the unmindful overtaking of motorists trying to cross the junction before the signal turns red.

But some bus drivers proceeding in the direction of Kakkanad continue to overtake along the opposite track as if the barriers were non-existent.

This throws traffic on the two directions out of gear besides worsening the ordeal of motorists waiting at the traffic signal.

A breather for taxi owners

The four-month-long anxious wait of taxi and private car owners has eventually come to an end with the State government issuing an order last week easing the payment of tax.

The State budget had directed payment of tax by vehicle owners for five years from April 1 unlike for each year until then.

Car owners, especially, taxi operators found this to be a huge burden as they had to raise more than Rs. 10,000 as against a little over Rs. 2,000. Those who withheld payment of tax proved to be wise as the order has come with retrospective effect.

Source:The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Andhra Pradesh, Tech

1 lakh CCTV cameras to monitor city

July 25, 2014

GHMC promises their installation before Metropolis meet. Other departments including Labour, School Education, Medical and Health too should join in and make these provisions mandatory for the licenses they issue.

Hyderabad would be equipped with at least one lakh closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras before the World Metropolis Congress meet in October, GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar said here on Thursday.

Speaking at a workshop on ‘Public Safety Act’ jointly organised by the GHMC and the Police Department, he rejected the commonly-held belief that public safety was the task of the police alone and said all departments should collectively work to implement the Act.

Mr. Somesh Kumar said the civic body was planning to include provisions of the Act such as making CCTV cameras mandatory before issuing building permissions and trade licenses. Other departments including Labour, School Education, Medical and Health too should join in and make these provisions mandatory for the licenses they issue, he said.

He pointed out that under the Act, all establishments where 100 or more people gather regularly, should mandatorily install CCTV cameras.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Mahender Reddy said the city would have such cameras installed at all public places such as places of worship, educational institutions, bus stops, malls, hotels and railway stations. Cyberabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand said the workshop had brought all stakeholders on one platform to create awareness about the Act.

Source :The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Andhra Pradesh, Articles, CCTV Surveillance

Panels to select places to install more security cameras

July 23, 2014

Coimbatore:City Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan said that efforts are under way to make all the 184 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed at traffic signals across the city, work as intended.

Better surveillance

“Efforts are under way for identifying more places where more CCTV cameras could be installed in the city for better surveillance to reduce crime,” he said.

The CCTV cameras and 23 speed dome cameras were allotted to Coimbatore City police during the World Classical Tamil Conference in 2010.

A police official in the city claimed that only 14 of the 184 cameras were functioning.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Pravesh Kumar said that all these cameras were in working condition. “Only the cables connecting them are faulty,” he added.

A sum of Rs.5 lakh was allotted by the government for maintaining these cameras.

Poor maintenance

But due to poor maintenance, the amount has not been given to the company that has taken up the annual maintenance contract (AMC) to keep the cameras working.

“Due to this reason, the contract was cancelled recently. We are in the process of identifying a new AMC contractor,” police officials said.

“On the other hand, some private companies have come forward to erect such cameras in select places. Committees have been formed under Deputy Commissioners for Law and Order, besides Crime and Traffic, to identify places where the cameras could be installed for better surveillance.

The cameras will be monitored from the police stations in the vicinity,” Mr. Viswanathan added.

Source:The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Andhra Pradesh, CCTV Surveillance

Motorcycle rallies on ‘road safety’

July 23, 2014

A rally being taken out by Transport Officials as part of the Traffic Awareness Week on the Beach Road in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

The Hindu A rally being taken out by Transport Officials as part of the Traffic Awareness Week on the Beach Road in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.

The maximum number of accidents occurring on the roads involved youth. Their rash behaviour, tendency to take risks and not adhering to safety rules like wearing helmets and seat belts is contributing to an increase in accidents on the roads.

The Transport Department organised motorcycle rallies to sensitise motorists on the need to wear helmets and seat belts as part of the ongoing road safety awareness campaign on Tuesday.

Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao inaugurated the rally on the Beach Road by riding a motorcycle, wearing a helmet. He said it was unfortunate that many youngsters were losing their lives in road accidents due to their risky behaviour like performing feats, over speeding and not following the rules. The fatalities were more due to not wearing helmets by motorcyclists and not wearing the seat belts by car users.

Deputy Transport Commissioner M. Prabhu Raj Kumar said that even the slightest negligence on the road could cause fatal accidents. He called upon parents not to buy motorcycles for their children till they are 18 years in age. The department has intensified checking of school buses following a rise in the number of accidents involving school buses.

Newly recruited women Assistant MVIs of the Transport Department drove motorcycles wearing helmets. One of them even drove a ‘Bullet’. The motorcycle rally, which began at the Kali temple went up to The Park hotel junction and returned to the starting point. The participants distributed pamphlets on road safety to passers by.

Later in the evening, another rally was taken out from Jagadamba junction to NAD Kotha Road and back.

Regional Transport Officer A.H. Khan, MVIs M. Kanaka Raju, K.V. Prakash and M. Butchi Raju were among those who participated in the programme.

Source: The Hindu

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under About, Andhra Pradesh

Project of six laning of Vijaywada –Gundugolanu section of NH 5 in Andhra Pradesh

January 16, 2012

The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure today approved the implementation of the project of six laning of Vijaywada –Gundugolanu section of NH 5 in Andhra Pradesh under NHDP Phase V on DBFOT basis in BOT (Toll) mode of delivery.

The total project cost estimated will be Rs.2011 crore out of which Rs.327 crore will be for the land acquisition, rehabilitation, resettlement and pre-construction.

The total length of the project will be 103.590 kms.

The project, on completion, will reduce the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between Vijayawada – Gundugolanu. It will also increase the employment potential for the local labourers for the project activities.

The main objective of the project is to expedite the improvement of infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh, increase the capacity of Golden Quadrilateral corridor and also to reduce the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between Vijayawada- Gundugalanu. The National Highway No.5 is an important link connecting Kolkata to Chennai, which is part of the Golden Quadrilateral Corridor. This will facilitate road users, particularly traffic on Chennai-Kolkata section of Golden Quadrilateral passing through Guntur, Krishna and West Godavari districts and Chennai- Hyderabad and Kolkata – Hyderabad section.

The project is covered in the districts of Guntur, Krishna and West Godavari in Andhra Pradesh.

Background:

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in the meeting held in October 2006 approved six laning of 6500 km of four-lane National Highway comprising 5700 km of Golden Quadrilateral and 800 km of other sections at a cost of Rs.51,210 crore under NHDP Phase V. Of the total investment required, Rs.35,692 crore is expected to come from private sector and the balance Rs.5,518 crore from Government funding for bridging the viability gap and for the cost of land acquisition, utility shifting, consultancy etc. The average cost per km after acceptance of the recommendations of B.K. Chaturvedi Committee by the Government is now Rs.10 crore /km for NHDP Phase-V projects.

Source: p ib.nic.in

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Andhra Pradesh

Govt approves Rs 1,835 cr road projects in AP

October 31, 2011

New Delhi: The government on Tuesday approved two projects of widening of National Highways in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa entailing a total investment of about Rs 1,835 crore under its flagship road building programme NHDP.

The Cabinet Committee of Infrastructure (CCI) on tuesday approved projects for four laning of Vijayawada-Machlipatnam section of NH 9 in Andhra Pradesh and four/two laning of Birmitrapur-Barkote section on NH 23 in Orissa under National Highways Development Project (NHDP) phase IV-A, an official release said.

“The total estimated cost of the project (Andhra Pradesh) is Rs 736 crore. The total estimated cost of the project (Orissa) is Rs 1,098.90 crore,” the release said.

On land acquisition, resettlement, rehabilitation and pre-construction, Rs 130 crore and Rs 320.75 crore will be spent on Andhra Pradesh and Orissa projects, respectively.

Both the projects will be built on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis in BOT (Toll) mode of delivery.

“The total length of the project is 64.611 km. The concession period is 20 years, including construction period of 24 months,” the statement said about the Andhra Pradesh project, located in Krishna district.

“The project will reduce the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between Vijayawada and Machilipatnam. It will also increase the employment potential for the local labourers for the project activities,” it added.

On the Orissa project, which is based in Sundargah and Deogarh districts, it said the concession period is 23 years including construction period of 30 months for 125.61 km scheme.

“The project will reduce the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between Birmitrapur-Barkote. It will also increase the employment potential for the local labourers for the project activities,” it said.

Source: zeenews.india.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Andhra Pradesh, Orissa