Smart City projects pending across Karnataka

Smart City projects worth Rs 1,870.96 crore are pending in seven cities of Karnataka.

According to data accessed by DH from the Urban Development Department, of the total 620 projects worth Rs 6,435.65 crore that were taken up since 2015, 69 projects worth Rs 1,870.76 crore are pending.

Mangaluru has the highest number of 23 pending projects (worth Rs 583.37 cr) followed by Hubballi-Dharwad (five projects, Rs 323.35 cr), Bengaluru (seven projects, Rs 298.84 cr), Davangere (13 projects, Rs 291.9 cr), Belagavi (six projects, Rs 153.7 cr), Tumakuru (nine projects, Rs 132.18 cr) and Shivamogga (six projects, Rs 87.62 cr).

PM Narendra Modi’s Smart City Mission was launched in 2015 with an aim to develop select cities in five years by allocating Rs 1,000 crore each (with an equal share of 50% from Union and state governments).

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Seven cities of the state were selected for the project. Though the deadline for utilisation of the funds was 2021 initially, it was extended to 2023 June following two years of disruption due to Covid. The deadline was further extended to 2024 June. However, experts and sources in the department say that several projects will not be completed even in 2024.

Take Mangaluru, where out of the 23 projects, 10 are related to water-front development and upgradation of water jetty and water sports park, which require permission from Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). Dr Anand K, managing director of Mangaluru Smart City Project Ltd (MSCPL) said a majority of the pending projects are stuck due to delay in getting permission from CRZ.

“Due to strict rules pertaining to CRZ, we are unable to complete the projects. A committee headed by the deputy commissioner recently held a meeting and approvals have been given for those projects,” he said.

An officer with MSCPL, who did not wish to be named, said previous officials erred in selecting projects and cleared the tendered projects at the last minute to ensure that allocated funds are not returned to the government.

Hubballi-Dharwad and Davangere have the same problem. They have taken up projects that cannot be completed within the stipulated time.

Davangere-SCPL has taken up the construction of a barrage on the Tungabhadra River and the renovation of the KSRTC bus stand at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore each. “There was a delay in getting site clearance for these projects resulting in projects pending,” said DSCPL MD Veeresh Kumar.

Hubballi-Dharwad-SCPL MD Rudresh Gali said 57 of the 62 projects have been completed, and remaining projects like the construction of a sports complex, green mobility corridor and others are pending. “We have set a deadline of February 2024 for completion of all these projects,” he said.

Recently, a team of Lokayukta officials raised their concerns over the quality of construction of projects completed under the Smart City in Hubballi-Dharwad.