Haryana’s Faridabad – one of the 100 cities selected to be developed as a “Smart City” – received Rs 833 crore from the centre and state government under the Smart Cities Mission till February this year. Out of this, Rs 822 crore was reportedly spent on various infrastructural projects.
But nine years after the launch of the scheme in 2015, several of these projects are either incomplete or in a poor state. These include Vivekananda Park, developed at a cost of Rs 4.7 crore; Smart City Park in Sector 21B, built at an estimated cost of Rs 3.42 crore; and Chhatrapati Shivaji Park in Sector 21B, worth Rs 1.18 crore. Newslaundry visited these sites, of which Vivekananda Park had overgrown grass, stagnant pools of water, and herds of stray animals. Locals said the underpass constructed along with the park fills up with water too during rain. Smart City Park and Chhatrapati Shivaji Park were in a similar state.
Meanwhile, at Fatehpur Chandela and Sant Nagar villages – where 95 percent of the smart city project work had been completed as per an RTI response – proper roads are yet to be constructed. The villages also lacked sufficient drinking water supply and proper drainage.
But will these impact the assembly polls?
Watch.
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