Belagavi Smart City office mere rhetoric

The Smart city initiative was highly praised all celebrated from the MP to the MLA and even the councillors. Merely after a couple of months of getting into the top 20 when one was expecting things to fall into action, As is any govt work, the fully furnished smart city office opened at Tilakwadi near Tilakwadi police station is a mere office with empty chairs and one Lady peon.

The lady there is really unaware of anything nor she remembers anyone coming there, “Then why was this office opened in the first place.”

This has come to light after the members of the Past President Council of the chamber of Commerce visited the office to raise some suggestions and to know the progress of the Smart city implementation.

At 4.30 pm they were shocked to see only one lady in the office and the huge city models thrown on the floor. However the Directors room was neat and tidy.

The office has boards which they welcome suggestions from citizens and their participation is a must. But no one was there to tell how it can be done.

The office even did not have the Smart city proposal. The SPV was formed long back & not single meeting has been convened at local level. Even at top level meetings had been called a number of times at Bengalauru, but got postponed or canceled with one or other reason.

So as expected one can say the implementation of the smart city proposals have not begun as yet and a nodal agency is yet to be appointed. The expenditure made on the office is from the local funds as Smart city funds will be disbursed only when projects are approved and are projects specific. So is this office another White elephant is the question the citizens are asking.

Shevantilal Shaha, Basavaraj Javali, Satish Tendulkar and Vikas kalghatgi visited the office and brought out this truth about the Smartness in respect to the Smart city office.