The Smart City Mission is changing Karnataka's Hubbali and Belagavi

 The Smart City Mission is changing Karnataka's Hubbali and Belagavi

Most of the projects outlined in the smart cities mission have been completed in both cities, including specific projects like a Mahila Bazar and a therapeutic center for kids with special needs.

For the Karnataka towns of Hubbali and Belagavi, the Smart towns Mission of the Central Government, which is being carried out by the Ministry of housing and urban issues (MoHUA), has been revolutionary.

Officials claim that up to 59 projects in Hubbali, including as the green mobility corridor and the renovation of Tolankere Lake, have been completed at an estimated cost of Rs 810 crore. Similar to this, Belagavi has seen the completion of roughly 96 public benefit projects under the smart city plan, including "Mahila Bazar" and a treatment center for children with special needs, at a cost of Rs 870 crore.

In 2017, the Hubbali-Dharwad twin cities were chosen as part of the smart cities program, and the Hubbali Dharwad Smart City Corporation Limited (HDSCL) was established as a special purpose corporation.

According to Rudresh S. Ghali, Managing Director of HDSCL, Hubbali has worked on 63 projects that fall into four categories: sports, buildings and infrastructure, lakes and parks, and healthcare and healthcare programs.

According to him, the initiatives include building rainwater harvesting systems, constructing a green transportation corridor, and renovating public markets, highways, hospitals, and the lakes of Tolankere and Unkal.

Every one of these initiatives has a specific necessity. We have finished 59 of the 63 smart city initiatives, and the next four will be finished by the end of June 2024. A total of Rs 930 crore was spent on the smart city program. We have used around Rs 810 crore of the Rs 930 crore that we have so far," Ghali told Moneycontrol.

According to Ghali, Chitaguppi Hospital, which was previously in disrepair, has been rebuilt as part of the Smart Cities Mission and is now a state-of-the-art, multispeciality facility. The Bengeri Central market, which has been constructed and furnished with amenities for farmers and street sellers, is another important undertaking. According to him, the project has also resulted in the renovation of the city's Mahatma Gandhi Park and the installation of a melodic fountain there.

City of Belagavi Smart

Belagavi City is home to over 5.07 lakh people and occupies 94.08 square kilometers, according to authorities. In 2016, the city was chosen for the mission's first phase, which included developing it as a smart city.

102 initiatives were carried out in Belagavi as part of the Smart City Mission, according to Syeda Afreen S. Bellary, Managing Director of Belagavi Smart City. These included the domains of public infrastructure, healthcare, education, information technology, and transportation, among others.

Six of the 102 projects are in progress and will be finished the following year, leaving 96 completed. We have so far invested around Rs 871 crore in the smart city initiatives, out of the Rs 930 crore budget allotted under the smart city program. To begin more citizen-centric initiatives, we need additional funding," Bellary told Moneycontrol.

She stated that Belagavi has been granted the 'United Nations-Smart Solutions and Inclusive Cities Awards 2022' by Minister of Human Resources and Development, Hardeep Singh Puri, for the execution of projects like the Kanabargi Lake Rejuvenation, an e-library, and a therapy center for children with physical and mental disabilities at Mahatma Phule Park.

The focal point of Belagavi is the women-led "Mahila Bazar," a market created as part of the smart cities concept. There are 56 stores, all of which are run by female business owners. 49 out of 56 stores sell well-known meals from all throughout the nation.

Bellary said, "The market, also referred to as 'Khau Katta,' is a culinary surprise for people as they come here the nearby towns likewise. It is located on Atal Bihari Vajpayee road."