Union UD secy in Varanasi to inspect infrastructure

Development works in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency here is likely to get a boost as a senior official from the Union Urban Development Ministry is currently on a visit to the temple town to inspect various central and state governments infrastructure projects.
Union Urban Development Secretary Sudhir Krishna, who is on a two-day visit to Varanasi, held meetings with district officials here, and has asked them to prepare a roadmap and send various pending as well as new proposals to the union ministry.
Krishna, who is visiting for the first time after the formation of the NDA government, held closed-door meetings with the District Magistrate, officials of Varanasi Development Authority and the municipal corporation at the Commissioner compound yesterday.

The secretary, however expressed his resentment over the incomplete and slow progress of development works in the city.
Projects like metro rail, sewerage treatment plants, and cleaning of Ganga river were discussed in the meeting with the officials, Krishna told reporters.
Stressing on the need to adopt a "one-umbrella approach", Krishna raised the concern for cleaning of Ganga River, and said that small sewage treatment plants should be built up to retreat the water before being drained to the river.

He also inspected a sewerage treatment plant at Binapur and a solid waste management disposal site at Karshana today.
In order to improve the transport infrastructure in the city, the secretary asked the officials to explore various means of mass transport system, keeping the heritage and cultural aspect of the city intact, an official statement said.

The officials of the state government have been asked to prepare a feasibility report for implementation of various means of mass transport system such as monorail, metro rail and Bus Rapid Transit System to provide better transport facility to people.
He assured full financial support based on the project's feasibility from the Centre.
The secretary also emphasised on building up satellite townships on the outskirts of the city to ease the urban pressure from the main parts of the city.