 "CIDCO launches 120-sq-km Navi Mumbai smart city project")
Maharashtra will have its first smart city spread across 120 sq km in Navi Mumbai by 2019. The state-run City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) on Friday launched the Navi Mumbai (south) smart city project with an initial outlay of Rs 2,033 crore. Ten 10 smart city projects, including Navi Mumbai, have been proposed in the state.
Besides Cidco, a nodal agency for the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport, has proposed an investment of about Rs 32,744 crore for the construction of affordable housing, construction of metro rail, development of port city, and provision of basic infrastructure. The total investment for Navi Mumbai (south) Smart City and other projects is Rs 34,777 crore.
Cidco vice-chairman and managing director Sanjay Bhatia told Business Standard: “The Navi Mumbai (south) smart city and other projects will be totally financed by Cidco and it won’t need funds from the state government. These projects will be completed by 2019. Cidco has deposits worth Rs 7,000 crore and huge land parcels. When required, Cidco will sell part of these plots and proceeds will be utilised to complete the projects.”
He noted the smart city vision is centred around developing an environment-friendly, financially sustainable city.
For the smart city project, Cidco has teamed up with Accenture, SAP, Stockholding Corporation and Zensar. The smart city project will comprise 88 sub-projects including smart organisation, transparency and ease of doing business through e-governance, environmental sustainability, new technology for waste management, urban renewal, and development of gardens and play grounds.
Cidco is also developing Pushpak Nagar, a modern township adjacent to the international airport on 230 hectares with a plan outlay of Rs 941 crore. The project is set for completion in 2018. “These projects can withstand the coming boom and massive urbanisation and they are expected to attract fresh investment of Rs 50,000 crore with generation of 870,000 jobs,” said Bhatia.
