DIBRUGARH, June 27 � The Centre�s decision to develop Tinsukia as a Smart City has been widely welcomed in upper Assam. Tinsukia is the commercial hub of upper Assam, and the drastic improvement of the city�s civic and allied infrastructure has been a long-standing demand. That Tinsukia finally appears to be set to become a Smart City is what the people of upper Assam are looking forward to.
While the final modalities of Smart City development are being worked out, it is gathered that the Tinsukia Municipal Board (TMB) and the Tinsukia Development Authority (TDA) will be the nodal agencies to streamline and execute the development projects. The local residents can look forward to uninterrupted power supply, better Internet connectivity and improved sewerage and drainage facilities in the next 24 months.
Welcoming the Smart City plan, several social organisations here have thanked the Centre for choosing upper Assam�s commercial hub under the scheme. These include the Paribesh Surrakkhya Santha, Muttuck Sanmilan, other student and youth organisations of Muttuck and Moran communities, and citizens in general. Saroj Gohain of the Muttuck Sanmilan said Tinsukia has been lagging behind in development despite its economic strengths. �Now it appears someone has remembered us,� Nripen Gohain of the Muttuck Yuba Federation and Diganta Neog of the Muttuck Chatra Santha said.
Asked to comment on the possible projects under the Smart City plan, TDA chairman Pronab Baruah said stress would be on cleanliness, sustainable power system and aesthetic urban development. He had attended a curtain raiser programme on Smart City planning in New Delhi this January.
The Centre is also launching a programme called AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation). In Assam, this programme will be implemented in Guwahati, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Tezpur and Silchar. Under this scheme, the Centre will bear half the costs of urban development.
