Deputy Mayor Municipal Corporation Shimla, Tikender Singh Panwar wrote to Union Minister for Urban Development Kamal Nath and sought his intervention on some of the immediate issues of Shimla. Panwar in his correspondence stated that the Shimla being a heritage town and an erstwhile capital of British India the Shimla Municipal Corporation has to address a large number of issues. He added that without the help of the central government MC Shimla will not be able to sustain the development for long. Those issues are
1. Water Supply and Sewerage Project:- An amount of Rs. 14.4 7 crores and Rs. 9.7 crores stands released against the sanctioned amount of Rs 72.36 crores and Rs 54.74cr . The project is scheduled to start by April 2013. Sir in this regard a letter was written by Hon’ble Chief Minister to you on 18th Jul y 2012 requesting to consider the projects as a special project and to allow spill over of JNNURM grants up to 2016 which is the project completion date. I further recommend to have the case examined as a special case and allow the time period for the same. Further to add, the project may be allowed to be executed by the Shimla Municipal Corporation itself and not through the PPP mode.
2. Solid Waste Management project: – Sir, a solid waste management project under the PPP mode is being executed by the Shimla Municipal Corporation. However the Independent Review and Monitoring Agency (IRMA) M/s NCPE Infrastructure India (P) Ltd., Hyderabad has recommended to the Govt. of India to withdraw Rs. 5.85 crores as non essential funds against the project. The savings drawn were to be utilized for payment of tipping fee to the Concessionaire. Sir, our case may be considered positively, where the aforesaid amount may not be withdrawn and allowed as the M.C Shimla is not in a position to pay the tipping fee to the Concessionaire.
3. E-Governance project:- Sir, this is to draw your attention to the letter No. K 14012/8(5)/2012-NURM -I, where the ministry of urban development has written to the M.C Shimla for implementation of e- governance project as sanctioned under the JNNURM. The MC has invited tenders for selection of system integrator, but could not be processed due to complaints against the RFP uploaded by M.C Shimla. In parallel NIC has offered to provide software solutions for 22 modules free of cost. Hence you are requested to allow the award of the project on nomination basis instead of the ongoing tendering processes and simultaneously to allow the grant utilisation for further strengthening of e- governance for Shimla MC.
4. Ashiana-I (252 units) and Ashiana-II (384 units) a Housing Scheme for urban poor of Shimla town (under BSUP) :- Sir, due to the tough hilly terrain and delay in execution of projects the project cost has increased against the sanctioned cost. The tenders were invited but could not be awarded as rates quoted are much higher than the funds available. Sir you are requested to allow us to either reduce the no. of units to be constructed against the grants sanctioned or allow viable gap funding as additional funds to complete the project. Since the beneficiaries of these houses are the urban poor and a majority of them are Dalits the additional cost cannot be borne from them.
5. Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP):- The CMP is in the final stage of approval by the State Govt. and will be shortly submitted to GoI for an amount of Rs. 5,000 crores approx. Hence the MoUD is requested to formulate special parameters for sanction of projects of roads and especially tunnels which are necessary to remove traffic congestion. The tunnels are otherwise not approved as projects by the Mo UD.
6. Beautification of Shimla City: – Sir, a DPR amounting to Rs. 70.44 crores has been prepared for Beautification of Shimla city. The city has lost its heritage character and tourism value. Major works have to be executed to develop Shimla as a Tourist destination. Hence the ministry is requested to fund these projects.
