A seminar inviting suggestions from the youth brigade of
the education city Kota was conducted in Allen Career Institute’s Samyak campus,
at Kunhari, Kota by the consultants of Feedback Infra Ltd. who have been appointed
by the Municipal Corporation of Kota for the Smart City initiative. The
suggestions and solutions would be then proposed to the District Administration
and Municipal Corporation of Kota.

As per survey consultant Kartik Kumar, after being
shortlisted as one of India’s 100 Smart Cities, Kota was further selected in
the 20 cities where more focus would be given on improving the basic facilities
and infrastructures in the first year. He suggested that students of the
education city should come forward, participate in the development of the city
and shall give their suggestions on the
website created for the same.

Kota doesn’t’ have any Mass Transport system at present.
Due to the lack of a proper system, students are charged huge rentals from Auto
Drivers. A student suggested that if the district administration intervenes and
sets up Auto Booths for every route, this problem may be resolved.

Another student voiced his opinion of how badly the
localities need dustbins, and due to their absence people throw garbage on the
road itself.

Government Hospitals lacking in cleanliness: According to
the students preparing for medical examinations, when asked about the health
facilities, they pointed towards the unhygienic conditions of the government
hospitals where the doctors themselves are not concerned about such issues. The
hospitals face frequent power cuts, lack in clean water and basic facilities.

Police careless with the rules: A student said that the local police itself
doesn’t take care in following rules, many of them can be seen littering,
throwing their half smoked cigarettes on the road so that they don’t miss
making any ‘challans’.

A consultant suggested that like Jaipur, where CCTV
cameras have been installed on crossroads, the police officials are in constant
pressure of abiding by the rules. Similarly, the citizens should be more aware and
keep Kota clean and green, plan more trees in and around their houses and take
of their garbage.

Another student, who has been in Kota since the past 1.5
years, suggested “For a smarter city, citizens will have to become smart
themselves. They are like our guardians. In the institute, the teachers take
good care of students, but outside, in the colonies where we reside, we face
difficulties in everything from room rents to the food we are served in the
mess. They are always ahead in making money but never want to provide facilities.”

Students also complained that the government must
continuously monitor the drinking water as they are facing a lot of health
issues in the absence of clean mineral water.