Varanasi: Taking a cue from the project implementation process adopted by Ayodhya, the Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) will conduct a pre-feasibility study before approving any development project in the future.
In this regard, the VDA is going to float a tender process in the next 10 days for selecting a company, which will assess 20 new development projects in 10 sectors and prepare their pre-feasibility report.
After the company’s proposals are found feasible, further process for their launch and execution will be initiated.
Talking to TOI on Tuesday, divisional commissioner and chairman of VDA board Deepak Agrawal said, “In Ayodhya, getting pre-feasibility report of any proposal for development project being planned for the city has been made mandatory.
During last week’s meeting of the VDA board, it was decided to adopt the same Ayodhya model for approving any new development project in Varanasi.” Perhaps, VDA failure in actualising projects of Transport Nagar, comprehensive mobility plan, which included proposals of Metro rail and ropeways, in the past two decades despite spending crores of rupees on land acquisition and preparation of detailed project reports compelled the officials to adopt the Ayodhya model.
VDA vice-chairperson Isha Duhan said, “The basic objective behind this decision is to ensure that only those plans are finalised in future which are feasible and could be executed practically.
The company which would be engaged through a tender process for preparing a pre-feasibility report in the next 10 days will identify 20 new projects for 10 sectors, including civil infrastructure, transport infrastructure, tourism, disaster management, security, greenfield township, sewage, solid waste management, water supply and groundwater harvesting.” “While selecting new projects, the company will choose only those projects which have neither been proposed nor executed in the city in the past,” she said adding, “the company will select development projects in these sectors and submit a pre-feasibility report after conducting through study.
Only after the VDA board approves the pre-feasibility report, further action like preparing their DPRs and launching would be done.”