Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) is set to revolutionise the local transportation system with the introduction of a new smartphone application (app) to facilitate the prepaid booking of auto-rickshaws and taxis, ensuring a transparent and hassle-free travel experience for commuters in Bhubaneswar. The service will be initially rolled out at Babasaheb Ambedkar Bus Terminal, Baramunda, providing passengers with the convenience of advanced ride booking through their mobile devices. This digital move aims to streamline the process of hailing rides, offering passengers the certainty of scheduled pickups and the comfort of a planned journey. The prepaid model will be a significant step towards eliminating cash transactions, which often lead to fare disputes. Contact: Bhubaneswar Development Authority Website: www.bda.gov.in 90 per cent of Smart City projects at Ribandar completed: IPSCDL The Imagine Panaji Smart City Development (IPSCDL) has managed to complete over 90 per cent of the overall infrastructure works implemented under the Smart City Mission at Ribandar, Panaji. Under the ‘Development of Smart Ribandar with operations and maintenance of selected facilities’ project, the IPSCDL-appointed contractor is executing the work of building a network of new sewerage and drainage lines to improve sanitation. The IPSCDL has also undertaken the development of internal roads with bituminisation. IPSCDL is spending around Rs.690 million for these facilities.Contact: Panaji Smart City Development Website: www.imaginepanaji.com AMC set to steer towards 300 tonnes per day (TPD) capacity Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) recently announced a significant leap towards sustainable waste management with the initiation of a tender process. The tender invited proposals for the design, build, erection, commissioning, operation and maintenance of a state-of-the-art 300 tonnes per day (TPD) capacity municipal solid waste to steam plant under the PPP model. Ahmedabad, being the 7th largest metropolis in India with a population exceeding 6.3 million generates about 4000 metric tonnes of solid waste daily. Employing Waste to Steam (WTS) technology, the project aims to adhere to stringent emission norms. Contact: Ahmedabad Corporation Website: www.ahmedabadcity.gov.in Fleet for C&D waste collection lies unused in Bhubaneswar Heavy vehicles procured for lifting green garbage and construction and demolition (C&D) waste from different parts of the city, in yet another setback to the capital’s waste management efforts, are lying unused owing to multiple reasons including lack of ancillary machines and scarcity of skilled drivers. The civic body, a few months back,had bought 12 heavy vehicles, four large trucks and as many small ones for lifting of green garbage and another four large trucks for lifting of C&D waste in the city. Delay in procurement of shredders and finalisation of an agency to run the service rendered the fleet ineffective. Shortage of skilled drivers to run the fleet further compounds the challenges for the civic body. Raipur civic body takes over e-toilet maintenance Following a surprise inspection that revealed uncleanliness and malfunctioning units, Raipur Smart City has taken strong action to address the issue of poorly maintained e-toilets in the city by taking over their maintenance. After the surprise inspection of 32 e-toilets across the city by the MD of the smart city, Abinash Mishra, it was discovered that the toilets were in severely bad condition in terms of maintenance. With an amount of Rs.25 million, a total of 32 e-toilets were built in 2020 across the capital city. Contact: Raipur Smart City Tel: 771-4055574Website:www.smartcityraipur.cgstate.gov.in