Agartala: Dec 08: Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Thursday laid the foundation stone for Hawra River Front Development Project during a programme at Dasamight in Agartala in presence of Mayor of Agartala Municipal Corporation Dipak Majumder, local MLA Surjit Datta, Secretary of Urban Development department Abhisekh Singh, CEO of Agartala Smart City and Commissioner AMC Dr Shailesh Kumar Yadav and other dignitaries.
The project is coming up under CITIIS (City Investments to Innovate, Integrate, and Sustain) program and is a joint programme of French Development Agency (AFD), European Union (EU), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) as a Project Management Unit (PMU).
The main aim of the project which is being implemented by Agartala Smart City Limited covering a river stretches of 1.7 Km of the river at a cost of around ₹97 crores is to develop an ecologically sustainable riverfront and which will not only prevent pollution of the Haora river water, the main source of drinking water for the major part of the Agartala city, but also by strengthening of the existing river bank helps in reducing erosion, prevention of flood beside beautification of the city to attract tourists.
Moreover, the project is also likely to generate livelihood by creation of floriculture and vegetable cultivation bed through organic farming in the river bank area beside creation of three Km of pedestrian pathway, one Km non-motorized cycle track, 70, 000 square meter of green space, foot bridges over the river, health park, bird aviary, exhibition areas, art and craft villages, user-friendly public spaces for religious rituals at Dashami Ghat and crematorium.Mackintosh Burn Ltd which has been sanctioned the project is likely to be completed it in one and half year time.
