Andhra govt plan for 31 cities

To provide basic infrastructure relating to water supply, sewerage, urban transport and green spaces during next 5 years under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme, Andhra Pradesh Government has proposed a plan for 31 cities and towns at an estimated cost of over Rs 28,756 crore.
For the current financial year (2015-16), the State Government has sought approval of the Union Urban Development Ministry for its State Level Annual Action Plan (SAAP) involving Central assistance of Rs 673.12 crore for water supply projects and development of parks, an statement released by the Urban Development ministry said.
The state's SAAP is based on city level plans formulated after assessing the gaps in basic infrastructure and investments to be made to meet the norms prescribed for urban areas.

Extent of coverage of urban households with water supply connections in AMRUT cities and towns in Andhra Pradesh ranged from 7.50 per cent in Tenali to 78.80 per cent in Rajahmundry. On the whole, 50.22 per cent of all urban households in the Mission cities have water connections at present, the statement said.
It said that the AP government has reported that sewerage network services are available only in 6 Mission cities Guntur, Proddatur, Vizag, Kadapa, Vijayawada and Tadipatri.
State government has proposed to bridge the gaps in respect of these infrastructure areas progressively over the next five years, the statement said.

The State Government projected a cost of Rs 6,117.24 crore for ensuring universal coverage of urban households in Mission cities in respect of water supply and Rs 10,888 crore for providing sewerage networks and septage management over the next five years.

To provide adequate drainage facilities in the Mission cities in the state, the State Government has proposed construction of outfall drains, major and minor drains besides rejuvenation of existing drains covering a total length of 6,753 km at an estimated cost of Rs 6,814.85 crore.
Regarding improving urban transport, the State Government has proposed development of 336.50 km of pathways at a cost of Rs 178.10 crore, 232 km of cycle tracks at a cost of Rs 11.50 crore, 215 km of BRTS (Bus Rapid Transport Systems) corridors at a cost of Rs 702 crore and procurement of 710 buses at a cost of Rs 376 crore.

Total investments proposed in urban transport sector over the next five years is Rs 1998.88 crore, the statement added.