The union govt. targets an ambitious project of building 100 smart cities in the country. The announcement sounds exciting yet challenging task to achieve

 The word city sounds better if it is preceded by something ‘smart’… yes; we are talking about Smart City! Think of sensors monitoring water levels, energy usage, traffic flows, and security cameras, and sending that data directly to city administrators. Or applications that help residents navigate traffic and report potholes. Think solar panels, automated garbage collection, and water treatment and recycling plants. These are only some of the many technological applications that one would experience first-hand in a smart city.

Ambitious project and opportunities
Simply put, smart cities use cutting-edge technology to enhance day-to-day life in the city. So the opportunities for the information technology, energy conservation technology and engineering sectors are tremendous.

Simply put, smart cities use cutting-edge technology to enhance day-to-day life in the city. So the opportunities for the information technology, energy conservation technology and engineering sectors are tremendous.

“PM Narendra Modi’s ambitious project of 100 smart cities is definitely very ambitious. It can’t be completed in his one term of government as cities take decades to build. But I do believe he is focussed on this programme for two reasons,” says Radhika Markan, Managing Director, H&K Rolling Mill Engineers Pvt Ltd. “Firstly, the urban middle class is his core constituency. Secondly, India’s urban population which was 27.8 per cent in 2001 is estimated to jump to 38.2 per cent by 2026. Given our huge urbanisation requirements, India will have to build the equivalent of one Mumbai city every year.”

Mr Modi is known as much for his development mantra as he is known for his quick decision making and his impatience for results. He is acutely aware of India’s insufficient urban infrastructure and he intends to make amends. As CM of Gujarat, he started to work on these lines with the Gujarat International Finance and Tec-city (GIFT) – a new city envisioned as Gujarat’s wall street, just a few miles between the state’s capital and its largest city.

“Expansion of existing cities will mitigate urbanisation woes and help infra push which is the need of the hour,” says Vinod Kothari, Managing Director, Kamachi TMT Bars. “The development process is not limited to these 100 cities and hence it is exciting that other small cities might be expanded to form smart cities.”

Then there are a number of new cities already in the works, especially in the corridor between Delhi and Mumbai. Planners envision a high-tech industrial zone anchored by a major freight line and spanning six states.

Ms Markan shares, “Some specifics like when and where these 100 smart cities will be built are yet to be shared. However, these new hi-tech cities, already in the works, are likely to form part of the 100-smart city club.”

Attracting foreign investment
Much of the funding is expected to come from private developers and from abroad. The $100 billion Delhi-Mumbai corridor effort already has a 26 per cent investment from Japan. Additionally, the Singapore Foreign Minister, K. Shanmugam, on his recent visit to India offered to build one smart city. And there is also the British Chancellor, George Osborne, who has extended a one billion pound credit line to help UK companies invest in Indian infrastructure.

Required techniques
While dreaming to live in a country having 100 smart cities, it is also important to analyse what construction techniques are required or building solutions could be used for effective results.

Considering TMT products suitable for the purpose, Mr Kothari says, “From TMT bars perspective, adapting to specialised grades like Fe 500d and Fe 550 will push for speedy completion and suffices to the high rises that is expected from a smart city. Readymade or prefab steel is gaining momentum and can be utilised effectively in these cities.”

Ms Markan suggests, “Being environmentally friendly, smart cities should use sustainable materials for building facilities and reduce energy consumption.”

Technological innovations
One more important aspect to think up on is what technological innovations could ensure the success of this ambitious project if it is to make happen. Let us see the opinions of current players in the industry in this regard.

Cities represent three quarters of energy consumption and 80 per cent of carbon-dioxide emissions. Urban expansion is also expected to take place at a rate unlike anything the country has experienced before.

“To cope with the continued urban growth we will need to invent new ways to manage cities and make them more effective,” points out Ms Markan. “Innovation in energy will be the key to smart cities. The convergence between digital technology and the world of energy, or Energy 3.0, will pave the way for a new ecosystem of services which will enable both a better quality of life and reduced energy consumption.”

Since a smart city is technically connected with sensors to a central grid for optimised operations, the challenge would be of successful implementation and reliable operations and maintenance.

A smart city is virtually connected at all ends, including power, fuel and water usage. Since these are monitored, optimisation parameters can be set for better usage. These solutions are possible with technical tie-ups from countries already running smart cities. This influx of technology will push local boundaries and these solutions can be applied to better monitor major cities. For example, a smart signal can determine traffic inflow and hence increase passenger safety, improve fuel efficiency and many others, resulting in better management overall

Views on package allotted
The union budget 2014 has allocated ₹ 7,060 crore to the task of smart cities.
However, the time expected to get the project completed has not been discussed. Let us find out the views about this given package and estimated time for the completion.

“Currently, the package allotted of about 71 crores for each city is just a stimulus to kick start development and in our opinion is grossly under stated,” says Mr Kothari. “The land value itself would take up a chunk of this value. This is definitely not enough, but the silver lining is the promise of further infusion once the project kick starts and the exciting possibility of FDI too. This would expose the project globally and send a positive message of investment.”

Going by the estimates of Gujarat Information Finance Tech City, each project may take up almost 10 years to complete. Land acquisition needs to be addressed properly to ensure the same.

“The allocated money is like token money, just enough to start the planning phase for these cities,” says Ms Markan. Recently Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu said that the project of 100 smart cities is in conceptualisation stage and details are being worked out through discussions with all stake holders, including state governments. The blueprint of this ambitious programme is still in the pipeline.

Conclusion
In short, it is through interconnecting buildings, factories, vehicles, power generation plants, lighting, that cities will be ‘smart’. This could translate into smarter and greener urban transport networks, upgraded water supply and waste disposal facilities, and more efficient ways to light buildings.

Also the industry players seem to be optimistic about the success of the project. However, we all need to wait to see what the specifics of the programme entail.

To cope with the continued urban growth we will need to invent new ways to manage cities and make them more effective.

Radhika Markan, Managing Director, H&K Rolling Mill Engineers Pvt Ltd.

Expansion of existing cities will mitigate urbanisation woes and help infra push which is the need of
the hour.

Vinod Kothari, Managing Director, Kamachi TMT Bars