T’puram: Mayor V V Rajesh left for United States on Sunday on an eight-day official visit, as part of Fokana International Convention, aimed at studying urban governance and strengthening cooperation with American cities. During the visit to Pennsylvania scheduled to begin on Thursday, the mayor will attend meetings with mayors and civic officials from several US cities to understand best practices in municipal administration, waste management, urban planning and sustainable city development. According to the mayor’s office, the visit is intended to help the city corporation adopt innovative governance models and explore modern solutions to challenges faced by the state capital. Rajesh is expected to examine successful initiatives in areas such as scientific waste management, public sanitation, digital governance, water resource management and civic infrastructure. The tour will also include interactions with representatives of civic bodies, urban planning agencies and community organisations. Discussions are expected to focus on improving public service delivery, promoting sustainable urban development and identifying opportunities for future collaboration between Thiruvananthapuram and US municipalities. The visit comes at a time when the BJP-led Thiruvananthapuram corporation has been pursuing a series of initiatives to modernise civic administration and improve urban infrastructure. The corporation has announced plans to strengthen waste management, expand digital services and address long-pending issues related to drainage, sanitation and city mobility. Rajesh, who assumed office as the first BJP mayor of a municipal corporation in Kerala in Dec, has repeatedly stated that the corporation intends to adopt successful urban governance models from across India and abroad to improve the quality of life in the state capital. He is likely to present the findings and recommendations from the tour for possible implementation of the city’s civic development programmes. Deputy mayor G S Asha Nadh will be in charge until he returns.
