Chandigarh is the Best UTs Smart City in country
The Voice of Chandigarh News: Chandigarh got best UTs Smart City award and the project of Revitalization of Capitol Complex got 1st prize under “Culture” category awards during an online event organized today to commemorate 6 years of the three transformative urban missions vis. Smart Cities Mission (SCM), AMRUT and PMAY-U, which were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 25th June 2015.
The event was presided by Hardeep S. Puri, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Housing and Urban Affairs and was attended by key urban stakeholders from Central and State Governments including Principal Secretaries of States/UTs, Municipal Commissioners of Cities, and MDs/CEOs of Smart Cities.
K.K. Yadav, IAS, Commissioner, MCC-cum-CEO-Chandigarh Smart City Ltd. and Anil Kumar Garg, Additional CEO, CSCL attended the online event and received the awards.
While sharing the information, CEO, CSCL said that SCM is a transformational Mission aimed to bring about a paradigm shift in the practice of urban development in the country. Chandigarh has participated in the competition and has won the award for best UTs Smart City award and project of revitalization of Capitol Complex (heritage site declared by UNESCO) got 1st prize under “Culture” category. As part of the competition guidelines Chandigarh has identified problem area which has led to creation of this project.
Few of the problem statement identified were:
- Restoration Material to match in original colour, texture and appearance
- Production techniques over the years changed
- Original quarries were no longer functional
- Restoration was also required for tourism promotion
- Concrete Facade were defaced by fungus/algae
He further said that Capitol Complex was the first large scale Restoration Project for Modern Heritage (spread over 100 acres) and as part of the solution to the many issues one of the innovative technique used was application of water repellent chemicals to increase the life of buildings different State Governments were involved, coordination was done at highest level. Also Colour of newer materials were matched by hit and trial by checking combination of various cement and sand from different quarries. Apart from this, detailed Heritage restoration plan was prepared and integrated with tourism promotion plan.
