The city corporation on Thursday acquired 24 new heavy vehicles, including compactors and earthmovers, at a cost of Rs 7.32 crore, which will be used to clear the garbage mounds and the building debris generated in Chennai, mayor Saidai Duraisamy said after handing over the keys to corporation drivers.
“Under the city development scheme the government has earmarked about Rs 40 crore for purchasing vehicles and the first consignment of 24 vehicles is now put to public use,” a senior corporation official said.
“The second consignment of 45 small compactors and 43 heavy compactors will be acquired in three weeks,” said the official, adding that all the vehicles are purchased through Bharath Earth Movers Ltd, a public sector undertaking, and more vehicles will arrive soon.
Secretariat sources said that the state government recently gave administrative sanctions and passed orders releasing Rs 330 crore for the implementation of Chennai Mega City Development Mission for 2011-12 and also has directed the city corporation to focus on the extended areas that were recently merged.
The government also sanctioned a one-time financial aid of 54 crore for the civic body to improve its stock of machinery.
Ripon Building sources said that detailed estimates for roads, storm water drains, cable ducts, streetlights, footpaths and parking area were prepared.
And works are underway. A total number of 360 roads to a length of 175.36 km are proposed for integrated development at a total estimated cost of over Rs 300 crore and 1,064 roads have been identified for concretisation at a cost of `80 crore, sources said.
The financial aid should be used for the extended area of eight zones, including Thiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram, Ambattur, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Perungudi and Sholinganallur. The funding is restricted to the routine projects of city corporation.
Road grids have already been identified in the expanded areas for integrated development at an estimate cost of Rs 333.27 crore, sources said.
Besides heavy motor vehicles and light motor vehicles, the city corporation now has a fleet of vehicles such as excavators, earthmovers, loaders, stedders, bob cats, compactors, trucks, mechanical sweeper trucks and hydraulic cranes.