Bhubaneswar, September 14: The Smart City Advisory Forum (SCAF) meeting was held through digital platform on Monday.
While Bhubaneswar (Ekamra) MLA and SSEPD Minister Ashok Chandra Panda and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi were represented by their representatives, MLA (Central) Ananta Narayan Jena, was present online.
Smart City CEO Prem Chandra Chaudhary and key officials of the Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) were present at the conference hall and other SCAF members joined from remote locations online. Khurda Collector Sanat Kumar Mohanty also joined online.
MLA Jena said, “The maintenance of the Smart Janpath project should be well planned as the 5.5 km flagship initiative from Sishu Bhawan to Vani Vihar is a major project under the Smart City Proposal.”
Narayan Mohapatra, Secretary, Resident Welfare Association Saheed Nagar proposed to make the Integrated Public Service Centre (IPSC) Saheed Nagar, a COVID-19 hospital. He also gave a representation of the road condition across the Saheed Nagar area due to the 24X7 water supply project and urged WATCO to maintain the roads of the locality.
Abarani Choudhury of Odisha Patita Uddhar Samiti drew the attention of the CEO Smart City and BMC Commissioner regarding the condition of the beggars across the city and proposed a 500-bed facility to have an organized shelter for them.
CEO Smart City and BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary told both the secretary Resident Welfare Association Saheed Nagar and the OPUS representative to move proposals regarding their suggestions to BMC for consideration.
STPI Bhubaneswar Director, Manas Panda, suggested to run an “idea challenge” in the city to implement innovative ideas through the Bhubaneswar Operations Centre.
Sujit Mahapatra of BAKUL Foundation said, “Taking off from the suggestion of Panda about having a technology challenge, we could think of ideas in which we can engage citizens particularly youth in challenges to combat COVID. Since, the high incidence of cases is the biggest concern for the citizens of the Smart City currently, it could add to the efforts already being taken by BMC to mobilize young people to address the challenge.
“I request all of us to think of creative ways in which we can engage citizens to make it a citizen’s movement for a smart solution to COVID. That would be a befitting initiative as citizen’s participation had a major contribution in the “Smart City” recognition of Bhubaneswar,” Mahapatra added.
President Bapuji Nagar Chamber of Commerce Mi Mohamad Kalim expressed his happiness over the development of two multi-level car parking (MLCP) at Saheed Nagar and Unit II respectively, but added that the maintenance issue should be taken care of they are in place.
