Amid ‘smart promises’, basics rule voters’ mind
EXPECTATIONS Parties promise smart infra, but voters stress need for basic amenities
LUCKNOW : With work on smart city concept underway in select UP cities, political parties, in their manifesto for local bodies’ polls, have promised to provide everything smart — transport, lighting, garbage collection, to its voters.
The voters, however, aren’t upbeat. “From a corporator, or say a mayor, we only expect basic amenities like potable drinking water, proper service lanes, a clean green city. At least, I will vote for these small things and not unachievable smart city promises,” said PK Srivastava, a resident of Jankipuram and former scientist with CDRI.
Also, the local leader should be accessible to public 24X7, said Srivastava.
Majority of voters Hindustan Times spoke to on the issue also feel the same. “There is no one to clean the roads. Even if I do not throw garbage, cleaning is required twice a week but even that is not being undertaken.
I want a local leader who could get all these work on a priority basis,” said Subodh Shukla, a resident of Indira Nagar. As part of the smart city dream, Lucknow was supposed to get CCTVs, safe drinking water, smart traffic system, area wise smart parking, underground cables and smart public transport system.
However, the city is yet to see any visible change in infrastructure or in the quality of life of its people. Lucknow was selected in the list of cities to be upgraded as smart ones in 2016.
In the name of something smart, we only have the metro rail, but it was planned much before the smart city project rolled on. “The smart Lucknow project has gone on the back burner as far as this civic election is concerned,” said Juhie Singh, Samajwadi Party spokesperson.
She also point out the technicality, “Those elected via civic polls will not have the power to utilize the funds for smart city.”
Some voters, however, beg to differ and see smart city dream as a poll issue.
“Of the 23 mayoral candidates, I will vote for the candidate who I think has the potential and the vision to take forward the smart city concept. Voting for such a person will mean some progress in the next few years,” said Rashmi, a resident of Gomti Nagar.