Smart City Projects Turn Kashi Into ‘brand Banaras’, Infra News, ET Infra

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VARANASI: Under the Smart City project, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Kashi has undergone a complete makeover. In order to make Kashi ‘smart’ and improve basic facilities, the work of equipping it with advanced technology is going on continuously. So far, 51 projects worth Rs. 1,017.69 crore have been completed since 2018, while three projects worth Rs. 329 crore are in progress. The undergoing projects are likely to be completed by March 2024, ahead of the parliamentary elections.

The work of equipping the city with advanced technology to improve basic facilities is being done continuously. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself monitors every scheme to make this millennia-old city smart and modern even while preserving its ancient glory.

A fter the Yogi government was formed in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, the exercise to make Varanasi ‘smart’ started. Today, the city is becoming famous as Brand Banaras. “The city is becoming ‘smart’ by keeping pace with modernity while preserving its original form. “Since 2018, projects worth Rs 1,017.69 crore approved for 51 projects have been completed. An international stadium with state-of-the-art facilities is under construction at Sigra Sports Stadium.

Three important projects including Namo Ghat are proposed to be completed by March 2024 at the cost of approximately Rs 329 crore,” said Varanasi Smart City chief general manager D Vasudevan. Under the Varanasi Smart City, a plan of around Rs 10 billion (Rs 1017.69 crore) was approved in 2018, the work of which has been completed. This has led to significant changes in many areas of the city. On the other hand, the work of three projects worth about Rs 329 crore is in progress, which are likely to be completed by March 2024.

The smart city components include construction of the International Convention Center ‘Rudraksh,’ Namo Ghat with modern facilities, many modern parking lots to solve the traffic issues, advance surveillance system, Integrated Command and Control Centre, third eye guard on every corner of the city, rejuvenation of schools, revitalization of streets and mythological ponds, renovation of parks, open gym, facade lighting on the ghats, signage explaining the importance of ghats, Ganga Aarti and live telecast of the aarti of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, charging stations for electric buses, free Wi-Fi facility at many places in the city, tourist facility and market at Dashashwamedh Ghat, and beautification of the stretch between Godaulia and Dashashwamedh ghat. In 2014, when Narendra Modi became the MP of Varanasi and Prime Minister, he took up the task of freeing the city from the complex web of electric wires through Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS), which was started in 2016. So far, 2,294.91 kilometer wires have been made underground in Varanasi under the IPDS scheme. Most of the pillars standing on the roads are no longer visible. The beauty of the streets and other buildings of ancient Kashi was visible after the removal of hanging wires. According to the officials of Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam, about 2,294.91 km of haphazard wires have been put underground in various areas at the cost of around Rs 650 crore.