Plan to include metro area in Nagpur

Nagpur’s project may become the largest in the country as the Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority has proposed to include 3,567 sq km of rural parts of the district in the project. NMRDA has submitted the proposal with Smart City’s special purpose vehicle — Nagpur Smart and Sustainable City Development Corporation Limited (NSSCDCL) headed by Praveen Pardeshi, additional chief secretary to the chief minister. With consent of Pardeshi, NSSCDCL chief executive officer Ramnath Sonawane has convened a meeting of board of directors at the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) head office on Monday. One of the proposals is related to inclusion of NMRDA area in Smart City. NMRDA commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar told that the plan is to ensure development of metropolitan region area, especially areas on the city’s periphery. “There will be unbalanced development if city areas are transformed under Smart City but those on periphery are left out. Also, metropolitan areas are supposed to be included in NMC’s jurisdiction in phased manner after development,” he said. Mhaisekar added central government’s policies and concept of Smart City project can be implemented in NMRDA area. “Main motive is not to get funds under Smart City project for NMRDA area development. Any funds coming for NMRDA are welcome. But we want planning and monitoring of NMRDA under Smart City project,” he said. Mhaisekar also said NMRDA will not go for Smart Solutions immediately. “First basic infrastructure like drinking water supply network, sanitation, roads etc will be facilitated. Then focus will be on PAN city works under Smart City project,” he said. Mhaisekar cleared there would be no need to revise draft of NMRDA development plan. “I don’t think there will be need to change status of planning and development authority. Still, decision is up to the central government,” he said. If the plan materializes, Smart City project’s estimated cost will increase to over Rs43,000 crore with addition of NMRDA plan of Rs38,000 crore. City’s area is around 222 sq.km. The Smart City area will increase to 3,789 sq.km if 3,567 sq km of NMRDA area, covering 721 villages of nine tehsils of the district, is added. City’s population is estimated at 25 lakh. With addition of 10.30 lakh in NMRDA area, the population will increase to over 35.30 lakh. Under Smart City project, the NMC had taken up 1,730 acres area in Pardi, Punapur, Bharatwada and Bhandewadi in East Nagpur under pilot project. The plan is to replicate the pilot project across the city in next two phases.