The state government has once again issued an ultimatum to Smart City Thiruvananthapuram (SCTL), requiring the completion of all on-going smart city road projects in the capital by August 31. Despite facing challenges such as intermittent rains and a shortage of labourers, SCTL has pledged to meet this deadline. The final layer of tarring is planned for between August 25 and August 31, during which electric posts and overhead cables will also be removed. Installation of streetlights and beautification efforts are anticipated to begin by August 15. The deadline for completing the road projects was previously extended to June 30, 2024, after an earlier postponement from May 31 to June 15, which was impacted by rain. While the central government has extended the deadline for all smart city projects nationwide to March 31, 2025, the state government is determined to complete the projects in the capital by August 31, 2024. An SCTL official expressed confidence in meeting the revised deadline, indicating that the majority of the work is nearing completion. The official acknowledged that delays had occurred due to rain and a shortage of labourers but assured that efforts were being made to compensate for the lost time. The pace of work had increased, and by August 15, operations would be at full capacity. The final layer of tarring was set to start on August 25, with completion expected by August 31. Additionally, the official noted that 80 per cent of the funding for Thiruvananthapuram?s smart city projects had already been utilised, which had impressed the central government, particularly compared to other states that had used less than 50 per cent of their allocated funds. Among the key projects, the Althara-Chenthitta stretch was progressing rapidly and was expected to be the first road completed under the initiative. The Killipalam-Attakulangara stretch had also made significant progress, with the main drainage work completed and bitumen laying scheduled to start this week. However, several important roads, including Thycaud-Model School Junction, Vanchiyoor-General Hospital Junction Road, Upidamoodu-Overbridge Road, and Forest Office-Bakery Junction Road, still required substantial work.