Mahakumbh preparations: 84 projects worth ₹443 cr still await budget to get off blocks
Abhijat said that the monthly timeline of the projects and requirements should also be submitted so that it can be ensured that all work will be completed well before Mahakumbh-2025
Funds are awaited for various projects for which in-principle consent has been granted in the past four meetings of the state-level apex committee set up to oversee and sanction work related to Mahakumbh-2025, officials said.
At present, a budget of ₹443 crore for 84 projects is yet to be released, they said.
These projects were reviewed by principal secretary (urban development) Amrit Abhijat through a virtual meeting on Thursday. In the online meeting, he instructed concerned officials to complete the formalities within a week, so that work can be undertaken by issuing government orders at the earliest.
Abhijat said that the monthly timeline of the projects and requirements should also be submitted so that it can be ensured that all work will be completed well before Mahakumbh-2025.
The projects for which the budget is yet to be released include nine of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd, 12 of Public Works Department, three of Jal Nigam, 12 of Moti Lal Nehru Medical College, 18 of Health Department, nine of Prayagraj Municipal Corporation, six of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, eight of Prayagraj Development Authority besides two projects of Tourism Department, one of Prayagraj Mela Authority and four projects of the Forest Department.
Divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant also requested the principal secretary to appoint additional manpower and officers in many departments. He pointed out that there were few officers in the Public Works Department and maintained that the proposed work would get complete faster if additional junior engineers (JEs) and assistant engineers (AEs) were made available to the department. He said that due to expansion of municipal limits in recent years, deployment of additional zonal level officials besides AEs, JEs and others was needed.
Demand for immediate police force for Magh Mela
The state government is viewing Magh Mela-2024 as a rehearsal for organising the Mahakumbh-2025. During the meeting, the divisional commissioner asked the officers to ensure adequate police force for Magh Mela as soon as possible so that preparations regarding security can be completed at the earliest.