Smart City Mission faces delays in 7 cities

The ambitious Smart City Mission, which aims to revolutionise cities into technologically advanced urban landscapes, is encountering obstacles as progress in several key cities falls behind schedule. A senior official stated, Despite repeated instructions from the chief minister, projects in seven out of the ten selected smart cities have experienced delays, prompting the government to issue a notice to all mission directors involved, as reported by The Pioneer on Wednesday. The cities struggling with slow progress are Lucknow, Jhansi, Bareilly, Prayagraj, Saharanpur, Aligarh, and Moradabad. These cities were chosen by the Central government to lead the Smart City Mission in the state, with a total of 609 projects worth Rs 9,075.42 crore allocated for their development. However, as the June 30, 2023 deadline approaches, it has become apparent that the majority of these cities have achieved less than 50 per cent completion of their projects. Saharanpur, among the lagging cities, has experienced the slowest progress, highlighting the need for immediate action. In contrast, Varanasi, Kanpur, and Agra have made significant strides in their respective projects, meeting expectations and showcasing satisfactory progress.