[UPSC Interview prep feed Vol.19] Smart Cities

Topic Discussed: Smart Cities

What is Smart City ? Some features please?

• Smart Cities are those who have smart physical, social, institutional and economic infrastructure.
• Street lights, Water Supply etcetra would be based on programmed logic that would turn off if no usage is detected.
• Parking lots, traffic congestion and traffic lights to use Artificial Intelligence and ICT.
• Automatic garbage disposal system working at high speeds to produce reusable entities and bio fuel.
• From the security point of view, the whole City would be covered by CCTV cameras and constant monitoring by the security personnel.
• Smart cities would have the Municipal Offices fully automated to facilitate better service delivery and increased public participation.
• Special emphasis on generating physical infrastructure for encouraging walking and cycling to nearby location.
• A good city would need lots of commodities. They need to be moved. And hence a good freight system is crucial for a smart city.
• A large bandwidth of internet and free wi-fi would also be quintessential as we move into the digital era of governance.
• An efficient garbage disposal system is a must given that we are running out of dumping grounds to fill our garbage with. Segregation of recyclable waste from the rest at the source of collection and use of latest technology of waste-to-energy converters.
• A smart water supply system which measures and observes the usage patterns on real time basis.
• Rain water harvesting must be deployed at all places. Drainage systems should be more intelligent and any amount of sudden rainfall should not result in waterlogging on the roads and other public places.
• A smart city must promote "off the grid" households running entirely on solar and other on-conventional sources. Plus, the present grid must be updated to "Smart Grid" which would optimize distribution, minimize loss and reduce the peak deficit.
• The Smart City should also have strong and enforceable building bylaws promoting green and earthquake resistant buildings. They should also address the common problems like parking issues and others.
• The city development plans are based on ICT, MIS and spatial planning.
• On the health front, it promotes the ideas of telemedicine to all nearby localities and the digitalization of health records.
• The cities would also be having incubator systems which would support to the tune of 1000 startups every year. This would prove very useful to engage our demographic dividend into entrepreneurship.

The selected cities India will need to have certain precursors to transform them into smart cities. They will need to undertake the following through a tripartite MoU between the Central Govt., State Govt., and the Urban Local Body:

1.  Have an existing master plan or one that is likely to be approved shortly and have such a validity of at least 10 years.

2.  Have digitized spatial and GIS maps

3.    Issue all clearances for projects in a collegiate manner using online processes and in a time bound manner

4.    Electronic/Online seeking and delivery of all Public Services.

5.    Transparent and time-bound procedure of granting free right of way for laying optic fibre networks, water supply lines, sewerage systems, draining systems and other utilities (Not more than 7 working days).

6.    Create an IT-based platform for effective communication with the citizens and keep them abreast of various activities and plans of the city.

7.    Adopt tariff structures that are affordable for the poor and yet enough to recover cost including Capital Expenditure. In doing so the State/Cities could use their own resources to bridge the gap between the revenue and expenses.

8.    Create Open Data Platforms that are regularly updated.

9.    Make all information and decisions taken available in the public domain

10.  Setup a regulatory body for all utility services such as water supply etc. so that a level playing field is made available to the private sector and tariffs are set in a manner that balances financial sustainability with quality.

11.  All project first will be offered to Private Sector (PPP etc) for implementation and O&M.

Ye sab to theek hai, paisa kaha se aayega???

• An expert committee has estimated the per capita cost to be some INR 43386 for the next 20 years.This translates to an annual requirement of about 35000 Crore.
• Most of this colossal estimate will be funded by way of the Public Private Partnership.
• The government would only be provided the bridge funds popularly known as the Viability Gap Support.

Why do we need them today?

• Urbanization is on the rise. Half of Indian population is expected to live in cities by 2030.
• As of today, urban population is about 31% of the whole and it contributes over 60% of India's GDP. It is projected that in the next 15 years, the contribution would go up to 75 %.
• It has been observed that the initial phases of urbanization are slow up to say 30-35 % but the next phase till it reached 60%, is probably the fastest of all phases. And hence we must be ready for the same.
• It also gives us an opportunity to create a conducive environment for generating and sustaining employment opportunities.

Advantages of such cities?

• Great enhancement of the Quality of living.
• Creates mindful employment and investment opportunities.
• Facilitates environmental and social sustainability.
• Affordable housing to different sections of the society.
• Cost efficient physical infrastructure such as 24X7 water supply, electricity, cooking gas etc.
• Simple and transparent online business and public service processes.
• Such cities have a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) model in which before approving any  infrastructural project, the requirements of the proposed transit models are confirmed to avoid tussle later on.
• The concept paper released by the government on this issue proposes a Medi-city spanning 50-100 acres in every upcoming Smart City to provide for a comprehensive medical cover.

Any cons?

• Some planners feel that these cities would be dystopic and inequitable. They would be more like social apartheid cities.
• The current template for smart cities only outlays the need to have infrastructure. It does not ensure that democratic ways of governance would prevail even in such privatized paradises.
• The challenge to rejuvenate the existing settlements is very complex and difficult in India.
• The emphasis of making these cities totally green in missing.
• The issue of creation of urban sprawl around the periphery must be resolved at the planning level itself. Let's not create Smart cities circled with slums.