Long-term development plan for 50 cities in Chhattisgarh

            Raipur, August 20, 2008: Chhattisgarh government has prepared an ambitious long-term development plan for 50 cities for their systematic development for the next 30 years, a top official said today.

            Some works should be left to the specialists and as a part of that, with the help of professionals and architects, the vision documents or a long term development plan has been prepared for 50 cities of the state, including the capital city Raipur, Urban Development Secretary Chitta Ranjan Khetan said here today.

The vision document included the development plans of the cities on drinking water, road, drainage system, commercial complex, traffic load and ways to ease them, and other projects in mind.

            Many of the urban local bodies have insufficient infrastructure and this vision document would address that problem, officials have said.

            Many cities did not had any master plan and this vision document would help them in their systematic development for the next 30 years, the senior secretary said adding such plans are in place in the United Kingdom and after having studied them in that country, he went ahead for such plans for all the urban local bodies of the state.

            Urban Development and Health Minister Amar Agrawal also wanted such a Vision Document to be in place to check any un-systematic growth of the cities and the state Government needed the cooperation of all the people’s representatives in its implementation, he said.

            For the first time such plans are prepared for the state, he said adding this plan had been prepared keeping in mind the future size of population and requirements of the cities for the next 30 years.

            The vision documents would be sent to the concern local bodies for ratification and if any one has any objection to any of the points, they can suggest the alternate and send that back to the Government so as to plan accordingly for future course of action, the officials said.