JMC Politics not a hurdle for Smart City Development: Ravi Jain

Written By Jaykishan Sharma | Updated: Mar 23, 2018, 06:10 AM IST

Ravi Jain

Rajasthan was the first state to submit Smart City proposal to the centre. But since then there have many hiccups that delayed the project. Jaykishan Sharma reaches out to JSCL CEO Ravi Jain to track the progress of Smart City and assess he keeps away the politics of politics from interfering in the progress of Smart City

Are you satisfied with the progress of Smart city Project?

Yes. We are satisfied with its pace. Recently, UDH secretary from Centre Durga Shankar Mishra had come to review the project.  JSCL has already completed projects worth Rs 110 crore in Jaipur, work order of projects worth Rs 537 crore has already been issued and to take the smart city forward we have also completed the tendering process of new projects worth Rs 340 crore.So far projects worth Rs 2400 crore have already taken.

Don’t you think model of having one nodal agency for development works in a city helps – the way we have in Amravati (Maharashtra) and Naya Raipur (Chhattisgarh)?

You are absolutely right. It really helps if we have a single point of contact where all civic related problems can be addressed. It’s very important to have close coordination between various departments like JDA, JMC, BSNL and JVVNL for smooth development.

Every time there are news that you and the Mayor Ashok Lahoti are not getting along well. He has even questioned the progress of Smart City project. What do you want to say on this?

These are all rumors. We are working as a team and people can see the results. Campaigns like door-to door collection of garbage and Swachhta Abhiyan could succeed only because there is close coordination and cooperation. Apart from that, Jaipur has been declared ODF and various vulnerable garbage points have been eliminated. It’s all happening because we share healthy symbiotic relation.