more-in The GPS-based bus services with digital display of information on arrivals at the stops will become operational from November as part of the ‘Smart City’ initiative, Municipal Commissioner M. Hari Narayanan has said. “Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has procured GPS tools for its buses from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is providing the GPS tools for 100 buses. Both the systems are integrated,” Mr. Hari Narayanan told the media here on Wednesday. Referring to the other projects undertaken as a part of the ‘Smart City’ initiative, he said electricity connectivity to most of the smart devices such as poles, cameras and etc has been completed. Internet connectivity from the Central Command and Communication Centre will be ensured to the devices. The works are expected to be completed by the month-end. “At 25 traffic junctions, the cameras are in operation and so does the emergency call service. Calls on non-clearance of garbage are also being received,” he said. Giving details about the retrofitting of sewage treatment plants in the Area-based Development Plan, he said the project would begin soon to bring the treated water to the levels mandated by the Central Public Health Organisation. Surveys and finalisation of the designs for the ?300 crore worth works for which Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had laid the stones recently were on the progress. “So far, tenders have been called for projects worth ? 650 crore, he said. VCIC works As a part of the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC), the works on the trunk line and reservoirs for the 24x7 water supply to the north-west part of the city have begun. The project will be completed in phases. Water for the first three district monitoring and metering authorities (a division of work adopted in the project) would be given by the month-end, Mr. Hari Narayanan said. “Under the Urban Climate Change Resistance Fund of VCIC, a 3 MW solar power plant will be undertaken at Meghadrigedda reservoir. Four e-buses on BRTS road, 15 e-vehicles for solid waste management at Jalaripeta and 10 e-autos on Beach Road will be provided,” he said. AMRUT scheme Under Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Transformation (AMRUT) scheme, of the 60,000 households identified for new water connections, works for 18,500 houses have been completed and by the month-end, it would reach 25,000. “Of the 330 km HDPE distribution pipeline, the works in 225 km have been completed and 100 km of interconnectivity established. The connections will be activated by the December-end,” the Municipal Commissioner said. Of the 30,000 free underground drainage connections, 7,500 have been sanctioned and wherever needed, a network is being created, he added.

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