Muzaffarpur: The state government has allocated Rs 200 crore for the survey and detailed project report in making Muzaffarpur a smart city.

Work related to the smart city will pick speed soon.

Urban development minister Suresh Sharma, who was here last week, told The Telegraph that 41 roads under the corporation will be widened. But the corporation has moved a proposal to hand over 12 roads to the road construction department.

The department has made a detailed survey to go ahead with the construction of roads. All the roads falling under the corporation and the department will be linked to national highways.

The corporation has decided to connect 31 roads criss-crossing all 49 municipal wards thereby constructing and widening it.

The minister said basic work related to the smart city will start shortly, adding that all the roads of the township will be freed from encroachments.

The state government has asked Essel Vidyut Vitran Private Limited to remove all electric poles and transformers to the sides of important roads and undertake underground cabling of electric power supply.

In the first phase, Essel will provide electricity through underground cabling in a few select localities. "Later, it will be carried out in all 49 wards of the township," said urban development minister, who represents Muzaffarpur town segment in the Bihar Legislative Assembly.

Commenting on the perennial menace of waterlogging in monsoon, the minister said the state government has decided to set up three big sump houses in the sprawling Bela, Khabra and Manika by acquiring huge plots and an estimated cost of Rs 152 crore to be incurred for a permanent solution of waterlogging.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar will inaugurate the construction of sump houses in June as the urban development department had already approved the plan. The corporation has reached an agreement with Essel Vidyut Vitran Private Limited to illuminate the township by hooking up 10,000 LED lights on the electric poles and every nook and corner from May 12.

The minister said the department has approved Rs 10 crore for the beautification of Amrapali auditorium and Jubba Sahni Park. The department has allotted Rs 75 lakh for the construction of five bus stopovers equipped with necessary infrastructure to cater to passengers' needs.