Collector P. Kumaravel Pandian and Superintendent of Police S. Selvakumar pedalled around three km, between Bagayam and Thorapadi, in Vellore on Friday to create awareness among residents of the need for reclaiming road space for cyclists and walkers.
Part of the National Smart Cities Mission, the initiative is aimed at creating better civic amenities and infrastructure in emerging tier-II cities. It is also meant to encourage people to celebrate 75 years of India’s independence. “Along with the police, we are taking steps to remove encroachments from pavements on busy stretches to give more space to walkers. We are also encouraging street-hawkers to move to their allocated space so as to reclaim the space for cyclists,” Mr. Pandian said.
Under the Smart Cities Mission, projects worth ₹650 crore were launched in Vellore in 2019. Among them were a multi-level car parking lot at three locations at a cost of ₹31 crore, an underground sewage system, drinking water schemes and a 2.14-MW solar power generation unit. The Vellore Corporation has four zones that cover 60 wards with a population of seven lakh.
One of the major steps taken to reclaim road space for walkers is a ban on the parking of four- wheelers on key stretches and at landmarks like Vellore Fort. Only two-wheelers are allowed to park near Corporation-run Sarathy mansion, located opposite the fort. policemen have been deployed to ensure order.
