New Delhi: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on Wednesday said 91 per cent of the total projects of smart city missions have been completed across India. The Smart Cities Mission (SCM) aims to enhance the quality of life through smart, sustainable solutions.
Its goal is to create cities that are economically vibrant, inclusive and environment friendly. By focusing on key areas like infrastructure, governance and social development, SCM seeks to transform urban living across the country. “With 100 cities leading the initiative, the mission has made significant progress, having completed 7,380 out of 8,075 projects, with an investment of Rs 1,47,704 crore as on December 13,” the Ministry said.
These completed projects demonstrate SCM’s commitment to creating smarter, more livable urban spaces for all, it said. The ministry said that all 100 smart cities have operational Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCC) which utilise data for making informed decisions.
“These ICCCs functioned as COVID war rooms during the pandemic and have significantly improved city operations such as transport, water supply, and solid waste management by integrating emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and Data Analytics,” it said.
Referring to the public safety and security issue, the Ministry said that over 84,000 CCTV surveillance cameras have been installed in 100 smart cities, aiding in crime monitoring.
"Additionally, 1,884 emergency call boxes, 3,000 public address systems, and traffic enforcement systems for red light violations and automatic number plate recognition have been installed, enhancing public safety," it said.
The Ministry said that over 66 cities are managing solid waste with increased technology use, improving route management, efficiency of collection, and daily management.
"Around 9,194 vehicles have been RFID-enabled for Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) to digitise and improve solid waste management efficiency,” it said. As far as mobility is concerned, the Ministry said that over 1,740 kilometres of smart roads have been constructed or improved, and 713 kilometres of cycle tracks have been developed.
"Furthermore, an Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) has been implemented and is being monitored through ICCCs, improving traffic operations, enforcing traffic violations, and reducing journey time,” the Ministry stated. The smart city mission was launched on June 25, 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Focused on economic growth, inclusivity, and sustainability, the mission addresses diverse needs such as housing, transport, education, healthcare, and recreation, with the goal of creating adaptable urban spaces that serve as models for other cities.
