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Lokmat News NetworkRafique AzizAurangabad, Jan 5 :Here is good news as the citizens may experience a whiff of fresh air from 2022-23 as the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has vowed to improve the air quality index and transform the city into an environment-friendly destination, by spending crores of rupees, allocated to it under the 15th Finance Commission, for the implementation of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).Few years ago, Aurangabad was declared as one of the cities under the Red Zone. The standard air pollution level is 60 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3) and the pollution level recorded in the city was 108 micrograms per cubic meter. This created a sensation on national and state levels. The AMC administrator and the chief executive officer (CEO) of Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL), A K Pandey was recommended to implement different measures to curb air pollution in the jurisdiction of Smart City through the above-sanctioned funds.Accordingly, the AMC has decided to utilise funds for building vertical gardens, traffic islands with fountains, developing dust-free roads through procuring sweeping machines, beautifying dividers through plantations etc.Blooming of Vertical GardensThe AMC, on the lines of Delhi, Mumbai and Pune, has built the first vertical garden, upon the steel mesh erected upon the nullah near Siddharth Garden, last year. The AMC's garden superintendent Vijay Patil elaborated," We have proposed various building of vertical gardens beneath the flyovers and overbridges in Cidco, Mondha Naka, Mahavir Chowk and upon the big nullahs passing through Nageshwarwadi and Aurangpura. This will add beauty to the place and also help to curb pollution, especially reducing the dust particles in the air that is emitted from the vehicles. These gardens will be readied in the new financial year. The AMC will be spending around Rs 85 lakhs on the task. We will be recommending planting of mainly the Indian plants."Street FountainsThe AMC will be spending Rs 3 crore on street fountains and Rs 2 crore on garden fountains. Patil underlined that we will undertake repairing and maintenance of fountains existing at Salim Ali Lake Garden, Swami Vivekanand Garden, Siddharth Garden, Jyotinagar Garden and Kettle Garden in N-3 Cidco. The revival of fountains will help to control the temperature and develop a dust-free environment. A sum of around Rs 2 crore will be spent upon it." We have also proposed construction of new street fountains at the crossroads near Dhoot Hospital square, at Harsul T-Point, at Champa Chowk, Cidco Bus Stand, Cidco N-1 Signal (pyramid) and near Kartiki Hotel. These are tentative locations proposed by us. The finalisation will be done after going through all feasibilities," said the garden superintendent.Six new sweeping machinesAfter the inclusion of Aurangabad under the Smart Cities Mission, the union Government has suggested controlling the growing pollution by adopting measures to curb air pollution including through freeing roads from dust. Hence the AMC first bought one big truck-mounted sweeping machine to clean wide roads. In March 2021, the AMC procured three jeep-mounted sweeping machines by spending around Rs 99 lakh through ASCDCL. These machines were bought from Ahmedabad. The machine can clean 2-3 km of road in one hour and each machine has the capacity to sweep 10 to 15 kilometres of the road every day." The AMC comprise of nine zones in the city. We have three machines. Hence, the ASCDCL will be funding Rs 2 crore more to buy six more sweeping machines through the government portal and is expected to receive by March-end," said the AMC executive engineer (mechanical section) Devidas Pandit.Beautification of roadsThe AMC has recently invited one single tender valuing Rs 16.83 crore to beautify important roads including dividers upon it. The funding will be made from the 15th Finance Commission. The AMC will maintain the dividers and plant trees to increase green cover in the city and make the roads free from the dusts. When contacted the deputy engineer Phad said that he is busy in the meeting (at 7.30 pm) and will share the details tomorrow.

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