Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the Urban Development Department to plan efforts for the rehabilitation of slum dwellers in the state.

The chief minister asked the department to identify one slum in each municipal corporation and prepare a plan for the development of a multi-story residential complex nearby with basic facilities like schools, markets, parks, etc.

Yogi Adityanath directed officials to ensure that the market developed here is allotted to the families of the slum. “The responsibility for managing the parks built should also be entrusted to them. This will lead to the rehabilitation of slums in a phased manner across the state, significantly improving the living standards of the people here,” he added.

The chief minister gave these directions while reviewing the progress of various projects in a meeting with the Urban Development Department here on Thursday.

Acknowledging that parking of vehicles in cities is becoming a challenge, he said, “The government, administration, and the public need to work together to find a solution to the problem. It must be ensured that vehicles are parked only at designated parking spots, not roadside. If necessary, penal action should be taken against the erring drivers,” he said, adding that no bikes, cars, or taxis should be parked roadside anywhere

Stating that multi-level parking lots are proving very useful, he called for the inclusion of commercial spaces in the multi-level parking. He asked the officials to plan for new parking spaces only after studying local requirements and evolving ‘Parking Space Rules’ for better parking facilities in the future.

The CM said encroachment on drains is the primary cause of waterlogging. Wherever there is encroachment on drains, find a solution by communicating with the public. While taking action, ensure that the concerned family does not face unnecessary inconvenience in entering or exiting the house.

“Improperly placed advertising hoardings in urban areas not only spoil the city’s beauty but also become a cause of accidents every day. It needs to be organized. It should be ensured that no hoardings are placed on top of any building in any urban area. LED displays should be installed in place of the currently prevalent hoardings. This technology-based system will be convenient for advertising agencies, advertisers, local administration, and the public. No type of advertising hoarding should be allowed anywhere except in designated areas,” the CM made it clear.

He said, “With the spirit of ease of living, ‘Smart City Mission’ has a big role in providing a better environment with ‘smart options’ for a quality life with basic facilities to all citizens. Efforts are underway to upgrade 17 cities in the state to Smart Cities. Each project must be completed on time and meet quality standards, ensuring physical verification of project quality as well.”