Looks like there is going to be yet another delay in some of the Smart Cities Mission projects in a few cities. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), for the second time, had extended the deadline for several Smart City projects till June 2024, However, as per the evaluation of a committee set by the government, it will take beyond December 2024 to complete 400 of these projects. Read on to know more details on this.
Deadline Missed: 400 Projects In 10 Cities To Be Delayed Till Next Year
As many as 400 projects under the Smart Cities Mission will miss the June 30 deadline. This observation was presented in the Lok Sabha by a committee overlooking the progress of these projects. As per the report, 400 projects, out of the 7,970, will take beyond December 2024 to be fully complete. These projects are worth ₹22,814 crore and will miss the deadline yet again.
Last year, the MoHUA extended the deadline for these projects a second time. This was done after several cities requested more time to complete the pending projects. Now, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Manoj Joshi has said that the respective state governments will have to take responsibility for completing these projects thereafter. These delays were mainly noticed in North-Eastern cities, Himalayan cities, and some Union Territories.
When asked what is causing these delays, the MoHUA recounted several reasons. They pointed out there were many difficulties while resettling the local population as well as land procurement that caused major delays.
Also Read: 9 Smartest Cities In Asia As Per Smart City Index
Recommended Next Phase: Smart City Mission For Tier II Cities
As per the Ministry, out of 7,970 projects in the 100 cities, 6,419 are completed and 1,551 projects are currently underway. So, for the next phase, the committee suggested bringing the projects to tier II cities. They recommend starting from areas in a radius of 50-100 kilometres of capital cities and tourist hubs of major cities.
Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day! So, we hope that while deadlines are missed, the outcome will be worth the delay. What are your thoughts on this, let us know in the comments!
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva (representative image)
For more such snackable content, interesting discoveries and the latest updates on food, travel and experiences in your city, download the Curly Tales App. Download HERE.