Varanasi, constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set up to get a fresh makeover as the centre has instructed its machinery to speed up execution of all the urban development projects on time.

In a review meeting held last week, the government has fixed timelines for many existing projects Varanasi development projects under central urban missions, which includes redevelopment of Varanasi Nagar Nigam building as an iconic building, museum-cum-culture centre on the life and works of Madan Mohan Malaviya.

“To speed up execution of projects in Varanasi under the urban missions launched by the Government of India, timelines have been fixed at a high level review meeting held in the pilgrim city at the behest of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs,” said a statement by the ministry.

It was decided that Varanasi Nagar Nigam building will be redeveloped as an iconic tower to provide office and commercial space. NBCC will submit a feasibility report in this regard by the end of next month.

Under Varanasi Smart City Plan, 8 locations for developing multi-level car parking will be identified by September this year. A Museum-cum-Culture Centre on the contributions of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya to freedom movement and to the city of Varanasi will be developed for which bids (Request For Participation) will be invited by November.

Bids also will be invited for improvement of 33 junctions by September. Filling of posts in the Special Purpose Vehicle set up for executing smart city plan will be completed by next month. It was also decided that District Magistrate will be included in the Board of Directors of Varanasi SPV.

To make Varanasi Open Defecation Free by October this year, local registered contractors will be engaged to complete construction of toilets by September.

It has been decided to engage a new agency to operate the Kadsara Solid Waste Management Project through open bidding by October this year. Nagar Nigam will ensure that all bulk generators of solid waste like hotels and restaurants will install processing plants by September. A management plan for linking households with existing bio-methanisation plants will be executed by September. Indian Oil Corporation will complete construction of four more such plants by September.  Rag pickers will be trained and involved in collection and supply of solid waste to such plants.

Under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), action plan for providing water supply connections will be drawn up by the end of this month. Month-wise action plan for providing sewer connections to about 50,000 households will also be prepared by next month.

The review meeting also decided to set up 250 Water ATMs  and to engaged unemployed youth in water distribution from these ATMs after imparting training under DAY-NULM.

Pilot work for cleaning of Assi river based on Phytoroid or Soil Bio-Technology method will start in September.