LUCKNOW: With a deadline of Dec 31 set to submit GIS (Geographical Information System) based master plans, reminders were sent to more than two-dozen AMRUT towns to finish the pending works. Out of 59 AMRUT towns in Uttar Pradesh, so far 30 have already got their master plans approved, while the remaining ones are yet to do it.
The Central govt has asked for the submission of the master plans by the end of this year to be eligible for financial assistance under various schemes floated by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs.
Moreover, the second phase of the scheme, which is aimed at making cities better and healthier through multi-sectoral efforts, is slated to be launched with 63 cities of UP identified for the next phase.
While the first phase targeted cities that were under civic bodies and municipalities, including cantonment boards having a population of more than one lakh, the second phase would focus on improving the urban services in smaller towns having a population between 50,000 and one lakh.
A senior officer from the housing department said that reminders were sent to the executive heads of the authorities having jurisdiction over the remaining 29 towns to submit the plans no later than Nov 30. “In fact, a warning was also issued to 11 private urban planners and consultants to get their master plans vetted at the earliest,” said the officer.
A town planner deputed in one of the housing authorities in the Bareilly division added, “Incorporating new suggestions within the existing master plan, such as making provisions for blue and green infrastructure, is taking time. Plus, without holding board meetings, the authorities cannot take things forward. And it takes time to follow the entire procedure with govt.”
For the first time, a reminder to integrate the new components into the GIS master plans was circulated by the state govt in July 2023.
