In a step closer to turning Lucknow into a Smart City, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) is developing a unified public service delivery portal system accessible to all, which would facilitate two-way communication, thereby ending the need to visit office, says P K Srivastava, Additional Municipal Commissioner, LMC in conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).
What strategy has been chalked out by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation to make Lucknow ‘smart’?
Smart City plan has two models to be adopted in all the selected cities—Retrofitting and PanCity. Retrofitting means revamping buildings and improving infrastructure without changing the original character of the area. We have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with 12 Departments to execute our smart city plan. We have selected Kaiserbagh heritage area for development under retrofitting.
Pan-City model requires a facility to be developed across city which is accessible to every resident. Places like Kaiserbagh crossing, Lucknow bus stand, Cantonment Road, RK Tandon Road, Dayanidhan Park, Sarojini Naidu and Begum Hazrat Mahal Park would be taken on priority for development.
We have also drafted integrated urban mobility plan under pan-city which will require participation from all agencies like Public Welfare Department (PWD), traffic, transport, LDA , etc.
There is a proposal to widen major roundabouts and roads of city. We will enable bus shelters with GPS so that people know exact schedule of buses. A road over Haider canal is also proposed to ease out commuting from Rajajipuram to Sadar Bazar.
Lucknow Municipal Corporation is creating a unique ‘City Portal’. How will it help public?
The biggest help that public would get from the portal will be the redressal of complaints in a time-bound manner and assurance that they are resolved in real time as the matter would be accessible even to top authorities. On the portal, the attending official cannot overlook a complaint and hide facts as authorities would supervise it throughout.
What is the plan for upgradation of Traffic Park in Lucknow?
LMC has decided to upgrade Traffic Park to impart driving skills to people. Directorate of urban transport has released Rs 3 crore to LMC to upgrade the park. The one-and-ahalf acre facility built in 2011 on LucknowKanpur road has so far, not lived up to its objective of being a traffic training park. But now the road-users might get hands-on training on safe driving at the park.
Traffic Park has road signs and traffic rules displayed but to make it support drivers’ training, the park will be provided two simulators and laser oriented tracks. The simulators will be different for light vehicles and heavy vehicles. Learning license holders can get their handson training at the park. After practising on the simulator, the first-time drivers will be made to drive on laser oriented tracks.
Trainers will issue certificates for safe driving. Trainees might be charged a nominal fee for the training. At present, there’s no facility to provide training to people before they start driving on the road except the motor training schools that charge at least `3,500 for a 20-odd day training schedule. Worse, there are only 20 authorised motor driver training schools in Lucknow.
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The method is inspired from USA and Europe, where license is only issued if the learner passes through these tests. Lucknow Traffic Park will provide simulator for twowheelers and one four-wheeler at one time.
When would the PMC be appointed?
We have recently conducted a pre-bid conference for appointment of project management consultant (PMC) for execution of Lucknow Smart City project. We have also seen emails from other big groups also who have shown interest in selection of the consultant. It will be finalised in the first week of December.