LMC to work on smart city with a ‘heritage heart’

TOURIST INTEREST Apart from hitech civic amenities, the municipal corporation’s focus is also on smartening up the heritage structures

LUCKNOW : Under the smart city project , the Lucknow Municipal Corporation has also decided to focus on heritage conservation in a big way .

In the a run up to a special workshop to be organised for smart city works, municipal commissioner Indramani Tripathi told the media on Thursday, “The heritage of Lucknow is unique and can be a a potent object of tourist interest. Keeping this in mind, Chhattar Manzil would be converted into an international cultural and heritage centre. A tourist information centre will be established at Sibtainabad Imambara and façade and lighting would be restored at Lal Baradari.”

He added, “An archaeological research and heritage centre will come up at Roshan-uddaula Kothi, a public library would be set up at Kothi Darshan Vilas and a heritage conservation institute will be established at the decaying Gulistan E Iram Kothi. Also, a cultural club will come up at Rifa-E –Aam club under smart city projects.”

Begum Hazrat Mahal Park

will have a recreation centre and Lucknow Point, a space for community activity. Besides , a huge parking will be constructed under the historic Globe Park.

Tripathi said, “A plan of Rs 2053.13 crore has been passed for smart city projects in the city. A workshop for creating awareness, best practices , advanced technology, development of civic amenities and partners for smart city project

would be organized by LMC on Friday. Minister of tourism Rita Bahuguna Joshi , minister for excise Jai Pratap Singh and Mayor Sanyukta Bhatia would be present at the workshop.”

He said divisional commissioner Anil Garg would also be there along with representative of countries like Finland and Canada who want to help India in developing smart cities.

The representatives of other states like Telangana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Punjab would also attend the day-long workshop.

He said an integrated hi-tech traffic control system (IHTMS) was also being developed under the smart city projects. Under this system, all the crossings and roads of the city would come under electronic surveillance so that anyone violating norms would have to dole out fine through e-challan.