Singara Chennai allotted Rs 500 crore; FM hints at tap water for every home – Times of India

CHENNAI: Singara Chennai 2.0, chief minister M K Stalin’s dream project, just got a 500 crore boost. Making the announcement in the Budget speech, the finance minister hinted that the project to make the capital city cleaner and greener would also include ensuring tap water connection in every household. The chief minister is expected to provide more details of the project in the assembly during this session.
Greater Chennai Corporation began work under the project by the end of May with a series of drives to clean the road medians, walls and flyovers with help from CSR funds. The latest budget allocation, officials said, will help speed up the project. Besides beautification, among the top priorities under the project include biomining at city’s dumpyards in Kodungaiyur and Perungudi. Metrowater and metro rail will join hands with the city corporation to execute the work.

“The funds will predominantly be used for beautifying Chennai under heads that include solid waste management, artwork, culture, improving greenery, setting up new infrastructure such as street lights, improving water bodies and air quality of the city. The corporation has been encouraging private institutions to take up beautification of city walls with murals and paintings. The civic body has been reviewing this work every two weeks, while working on the upkeep and illumination of heritage buildings and public spaces. “The space under flyovers will soon be attractive hangouts,” said an official, “and the new allocations will add pace to the projects.”
Civic activists hailed the multi-departmental approach and multi-sectoral coordination involved in implementing these projects. Ashwathy Dilip, who works with Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, said it was the first time a state government had spoken about making all streets in urban areas pedestrian-friendly and disabled-friendly. “Vulnerable users of roads have been prioritised for the first time which is a welcome policy change. Also, setting up street lights every 30m will ensure the cities are safer for women,” she said.
Complimenting the Singara Chennai project will be the 300crore allocation under the ‘Namakku Naame’ scheme that involves public participation in expanding the urban green cover. “The city’s ideal green cover should be 9sqm per person, but Chennai today has a green cover of just 0.88sqm per person. Singara Chennai will change this. If implemented well, the city and the citizens will be benefited immensely,” she said.