Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - Live
Kalyan on way to being smart city
IT company chooses Kalyan, Dombivli for its pilot project on e-governance; more jobs, better facilities on cards
KALYAN: The cities of Kalyan and Dombivli will be developed by taking a leaf out of Los Angeles.
Oracle, an IT company, has chosen Kalyan and Dombivli for its pilot project on e-governance and will replicate the same technology used in Los Angeles.
This was announced by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday while inaugurating the two-day ‘Smart City Summit’ organised by Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) at the Kalyan Sports Complex.
The state will sign a contract with Oracle in July.
Fadnavis said the state government will develop 10 cities, including Kalyan and Dombivli, in the state as smart city under the Centre’s Smart City project.
“Efficiency, transparency and inclusive planning is the base of a smart city,” said Fadnavis, while stressing on e-governance.
“This will make everything available to citizens online,” he said.
The summit aims at looking at ways to develop the two cities with better facilities and showcasing them as a land of opportunities.
The CM said leaders should be open to the idea to implement cluster and Slum Rehabilitation Scheme for Kalyan and Dombivli. “Larger public interest is important as far as development is concerned. So I request all political parties to change their age-old habits,” he added.
Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde, state minister for housing, labour and mining Prakash Mehta, KDMC mayor Rajendra Devlekar, MPs Kapil Patil and Shrikant Shinde, MMRDA Commissioner UPS Madan, Thane collector MahendraKalyankarandKDMC commissioner E Ravendiran were present at the function.
He urged officials and residents to have a positive approach towards the Smart City project. “A city can be smart only if all citizens have a positive approach to the project. The project will help generate employment and give better facilities.”
He stressed on solid waste management in the state which was becoming a big problem.
He said all civic bodies should scientifically dispose garbage.
He said the project will look into 24 hours of water supply, better roads and health services. Even as the population of Kalyan and Dombivli is increasing, the infrastructure is the same. The cities are struggling to dispose of solid waste, provide adequate drinking water to residents and improve public transport.