Kakinada Municipal Corporation Commissioner S Aleem Basha tells V Rishi Kumar of the city’s plans and challenges. Excerpts from an interview:
What are some of the key issues you plan to take up?
Kakinada has acquired a reputation as a pensioner’s paradise. While retaining that tag, we also plan to transform it into an economic destination and a happening city. Our focus is on area-based development, retrofitting public places, providing 24x7 water and power supply, and quality sewerage. In addition, we plan to offer citizen-centric services online.
How will you involve private sector players?
They will be involved in projects wherever possible. These could be in the development of commercial hubs, tourism projects, convention centre and malls. We want to develop new infrastructure around some of the historic buildings such as Victoria Water Works, Kolai Cheruvu, Tagore Cultural Complex, Multiplex and shopping malls.
In tourism, there is potential for PPP around the Traveller’s Bunglow, development of a convention centre, Salt Creek and a boat-building yard for the fisheries department.
What are the challenges?
Each individual and locality has a different concern. After a downpour lasting just half an hour, the city gets inundated for six to seven hours. This calls for the development of a storm water drain network. Some of the new areas that have come up also need to be strengthened with better infrastructure and facilities.
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