NTPC to release Rs 8.12 crore for facelift of Charminar area

 Charminar: The State government is contemplating to rope in Corporates and other private parties after a public-sector unit NTPC in the Swachh Iconic Place project designed for Charminar and its surroundings.

This project has been formulated in order to restore and conserve the grandeur and glory of Charminar with its surroundings; it is ‘Restructuring the Historic core of Charminar area to save this area from traffic congestions, sound and air pollution.’ The project was also envisaged to improve physical environment and tourism infrastructure facilities in the area.

About 100 places across the country have been proposed to be part of Swachh Iconic Places as part of Swachh Bharat mission. This is a multi-stakeholder initiative focusing on cleaning up these cities since history, heritage and religious cultural significance with high visitors’ footfall.

In first phase, 10 and in second phase, 10 iconic places were selected to be fully developed as Swachhata models across the country. In second phase, Charminar is also one of the iconic places selected in the second phase.

Each of the Iconic Place is supported by one PSU for additional financial, technical and managerial requirements. Under CSR, NTPC is one of the PSU sponsors for this project and where ‘Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation’ is the nodal agency.

NTPC agreed to sponsor and support an expenditure of Rs 8.19 crores for Charminar Icon which includes:

• Visitor Circulation (Battery operated vehicles)
• Swachh Auto Tippers (SAT's) for carting garbage
• Steel Garbage bins around the SIP
• Decorative & Halogen lighting to four arches around the iconic place
• Drinking water ATM kiosks
• Construction of Public utilities and Toilets

Mechanical sweeping and litter picking machines (One each for two roads)
The objective of the mission is to Charminar as a centre of Historic core has to be restructured to retain the significance of the place and will improve the economic condition and quality of life of the local people and provide better facilities for the visitors. Other objectives are:

1. better interpretation of the cultural significance
2. Conservation of monuments becomes more feasible as the pollution levels
3. For Easy movement around the Historic precinct
4. Improved interpretation facilities
5. Visual interests by using illumination to highlight the historic buildings, decorative architectural features, restoration of historic facades can be provided
6. User friendly transportation system cum pedestrian area
7. Interpretation: Information signage about cultural significance, capacity building of the guides, audio visual interpretation tools, Interpretation centre, illumination of the historic buildings
8. Infrastructure: Improvement of urban infrastructure in terms of services (Water supply, sewerage system, electricity, firefighting, Street furniture)
9. Visitor amenities: Reception center, Cloak room, toilets, directional and warning signage
10. Integrated security system: Closed circuit cameras monitoring and managing the activities in the area and also used traffic management.