GUWAHATI, March 12 - In the Budget for the year 2018-19, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earmarked Rs. 1,515 crore for the Guwahati Development department.
Sarma said the government has allotted necessary budgetary provision for the implementation of Guwahati Open Spaces and Park Integrator (GOPI) project implemented by the Singapore Corporation Enterprise (SCE), Government of Singapore.
He said the process of preparation of the DPR for the 1.06-km ropeway connecting the Kamakhaya Railway station and the area near the temple is under way.
�The work of creating more open and green spaces in urban areas is also gaining speed at three proposed sites - Old Jail land at Fancy Bazar for a proposed amount Rs 58.63 crore, the Assam State Housing Board complex at Adabari, Maligaon at an estimated Rs 8.74 crore and the Khadi & Village Industries Board complex at Hengrabari at an estimated cost of Rs 14.81 crore,� Sarma said in his budget speech.
He said the City Infra Development Fund (CIDF) will continue for beautification and landmark project infrastructure creation. An amount of Rs 100 crore has been allotted in the current Budget.
He also proposed to develop three modern freight terminuses with Intermodal Transport at Changsari, Chayygaon and Sonapur to ease out the traffic congestion and to reduce accidents and pollution in the city. Rs. 5 crore has been earmarked for it in the Budget for the project which will be developed on PPP mode.
To resolve the issue of lack of parking, more number of parking facilities will be created in the city, he said, adding that an allocation of Rs 5 crore has been made in the current budget.
Sarma said to address the perennial problem of artificial flooding in Guwahati, an amount of Rs 50 crore has been allocated for development and maintenance of existing water retention basins.
He claimed the works under the Guwahati Water Supply Project, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is progressing and attempts are under way to start water supply this year.
Further, to implement a sewerage project for a major portion of the city, a loan agreement for Guwahati Sewerage Project (Zone-I) between JICA authorities and the Central Government has been signed. For the financial year 2018-19, a fund of Rs 10 crore has been made for the project.
�To improve the water supply, drainage and solid waste management in Guwahati and Dibrugarh, the Government has taken initiative in the sector with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank under the Assam Urban Infrastructure Investment Program (AUIIP). The programme is being implemented in two tranches, starting from March 2012 with a total cost of Rs 1886 crore and the overall budget allotment for 2018-19 for AUIIP is Rs 358 crore that includes ADB�s loan share,� he added.
