Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election promise to development 100 smart cities in the country is gaining more attention these days. In India, so far cities were built based on the water availability like on riverbanks and they are developing along the highways. Modi predicts that cities in future will be developed on the availability of optical fiber networks and next-generation infrastructure.
Developing 100 smart cities is not any easy task and it is like comparing with China which the fastest growing nation and has smart cities made on their policies. Modi government has announced USD 1.2 Billion investment for the development of smart cities and more funds will come from private investors and the government is more likely on public-private partnership. However many express doubts over this because many people in the country live without a proper infrastructure and how far Modi will accomplish his election promise is something the future will answer us. But at one place the works for the smart city has begun and it is Modi's home turf Gujarat.
What is a smart city?
Do anyone of you have any idea ? Well there is no particular definition for “smart” city but can be referred as a city which uses information technology to solve urban problems. Sensors monitoring water levels, energy usage, traffic flows, and security cameras, sending that data directly to city administrators or apps that help residents navigate traffic, report potholes and vote or trash collection that's totally automated, all come under facilities provided in a smart city. Older cities in India can be converted into smart cities but for developing a smart city can be started from scratch. A new smart city construction will have proper planning. An expert from IBM opined that India has a fantastic opportunity to make smart city. India is not the only country looking at smart city and countries like South Korea, China and UAE have already started their work with an investment of around USD 8 billion.
India is Urbanizing
India is urbanizing very fast and there is a need to expand the capacity of our cities which should compete with population. The urban population in the country is projected to grow from 340 million in 2008 to 590 million in 2030, according to McKinsey and Company study 2010. India will have to build the equivalent of one Mumbai of commercial and residential space every year to keep up with the expectations, the study estimated.
However some say that building of smart cities term as a misplaced priorities citing the basic infrastructure in the country should vastly improve first. A planning professor opines that having a stable roof, a toilet in every house and public transportation on every road are required for smart cities and India clearly lacks these facilities.
Private developers and investments
India single handedly can't develop smart cities without funding from abroad and so for this Special Investment Regions or Special Economic Zones, with relax regulations, reduce taxes, and make a easy for foreign companies to invest are the most essentials. Modi till date has managed to bring few investors and they are $100 billion Delhi-Mumbai corridor effort has a 26 percent investment from Japan and most recently Singapore Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam visited India and he offered to build one smart city and British Chancellor George Osborne extended a 1 billion pound credit line to help UK companies invest in Indian infrastructure.
Modi's flagship smart cities in Gujarat
When Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, he visited Shanghai city and after the tour, he gave green signal for the development of Gujarat International Finance Tec-city, a new city termed as Gujarat's Wall Street which just a few miles away from the state's capital. A 80 story “Diamond Tower” and two 28 floored buildings are part of this flagship smart city while the construction of the 28 stored buildings have already been completed. This city will have facilities like solar panels, automated garbage collection, and water treatment and recycling plants. Commuters will receive text messages alerting them of traffic and guiding them through the city's streets. The first phase of this city's construction is expected to be completed by 2015 and the entire project to scheduled to get wrapped by by 2020. Several companies have booked their slots which were offered reduced taxes and regulations in its Special Economic Zone. The officials estimate that International banks can operate in the zone using foreign currencies, unlike elsewhere in India.
Apart from this Modi also gave nod for the development of largest manufacturing hub in Gujarat. Dholera, a massive 920-square-kilometer planned city in the south of the state is expected to house two million people when it's completed in 2040, said KJ Shah, Dholera's senior town planner. This region is funded by state and central governments and Japan is also contributing. Recently a promotional video of Dolhera city was released which signified the city's planning.
What about in Andhra Pradesh ?
The recently divided Andhra Pradesh is also expecting to have ten slots in Modi's 100 smart cities. Guntur, Tenali, Nellore, Vizag, Tirupathi, Kakinada, Mangalagiri are in the race to get smart city berth. Well, Andhra Pradesh has all the resources to have smart cities but smart cites won't happen over a night. Dolhera will be completed in 2040 which means for the construction of smart cities in AP will take a minimum of five decades from now provided with constant flow of funds and better resources. This means, grandson of AP CM Chandrababu or son of YS Jagan will witness these smart cities.
(AW: Vamshi)
