How Smart Are Our Cities?
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Content list Foreword p3/About the assessment p4/Assessment summary p8/ Detailed city assessments p9/ Conclusion p153/ About The Express Group p156 How smart are our cities? www.pwc.in Foreword The Indian Government has truly stepped on the accelerator with respect to smart cities by announcing an initiative to convert 100 cities to smart cities by 2018. This is imperative because cities are already bursting at the seams, and India’s growth of population has to be accompanied by a commensurate growth in urban infrastructure. While numerous state governments have announced their smart city plans, the approach to become a ‘smart city’ has been different. Some cities have been extremely successful and are rated extremely well in many social, economic and urban components, while some have been found wanting. If India has to truly derive the full potential of the idea of ‘smart cities’, it is crucial to do a comprehensive assessment WRUHYHDODFOHDUVLWXDWLRQRIWKHFXUUHQWVWDWHRIWKHLGHQWLğHGVPDUWFLWLHVZLWKUHVSHFWWRGHğQHGSDUDPHWHUV&LWLHV can look at their current state, and benchmark themselves against the best ranked cities. It is in this context, that Express Computer, one of India’s most respected IT publications with a focus on HJRYHUQDQFHDQGHQWHUSULVHWHFKQRORJ\KDVSDUWQHUHGZLWK3Z&DUHVSHFWHGDQDO\VWğUPZLWKKXJHGRPDLQ expertise in smart cities, to launch the second edition of the report, ‘Assessment of Indian Cities for Smart City Transformation’. In this year’s report, performance based assessment has been conducted for 20 major Indian cities in terms of the operational effectiveness of the urban services being delivered to its citizens. More importantly, the report assesses the effectiveness of the strategies of 10 cities in a period one year, which gives an indication of the approach for other cities to emulate. The researchers have employed a combination of analytical and comparative methods of research in this report. The methodology includes desk research, internal assessment and the analysis of the quality of life in the city on the basis of parameters like power, water, transportation, hospitals, disaster management, administration, etc. The information has been obtained mainly from research papers and various public reports and statistics, and through various resources owned by the government and the city administration. We believe that this assessment will help policymakers and city administrators to understand current and emerging needs of the city and assist in developing strategies to make it more attractive, prosperous and sustainable while advancing towards the wellbeing of its citizens and communities. The city-assessment, compiled in this report, is expected to serve as a benchmark for further driving the conversation on smart cities. Smart cities are truly an opportunity to transform India, and we believe that this report will help cities accelerate WRZDUGVWKHLUJRDORIVLJQLğFDQWO\LPSURYLQJWKHJRDORILPSURYLQJWKHTXDOLW\RIOLIHIRUWKHFRPPRQFLWL]HQ Neel Ratan Srikanth RP Partner and Leader G&PS Editor, Express Computer 1. About the assessment An overview In our previous report, ‘How smart assessment will help policymakers and Our planet, which is inhabited are our cities?’ which was released city administrators to understand the by over 7 billion people, is in the at the 17th edition of the Express current and emerging needs of the middle of a colossal change. The Technology Sabha, we had deliberated cities and assist in developing strategies pressure of catering to the needs of on the various aspects of the smart that make the cities more attractive, the ever-increasing population and city concept and presented a prosperous and sustainable. the constant rise in the demand for competitive assessment of the existing The city assessment compiled in this basic amenities such as water, energy, infrastructure as well as the various report is expected to further drive the infrastructure and a clean environment social factors of 10 major Indian metros conversation on smart cities. are having a tremendous impact and leading cities to reveal how the )URPWKHWLPHWKHğUVW7HFK6DEKD on the ecosystem. Urbanisation is city operates and services its citizens previous report was released, propelling social and environmental and provide a clear picture of its considerable progressive development challenges. In India, 31% of the current state to policymakers and city has taken place in terms of addressing population currently lives in cities, administrators. The report essentially city challenges and bringing about the with people migrating to urban areas aimed to understand the current and required changes. The new government for better employment opportunities, emerging needs of cities and assist in at the Centre has embarked on an healthcare and educational facilities developing strategies to make them ambitious journey to transform the as well as improved liveability and a more attractive, prosperous and landscape of India by setting up several higher standard of living. This trend sustainable while advancing towards smart cities across the country. is expected to continue in the coming the well-being of their citizens and years, with city population growth communities. The Indian government has undertaken by 2030 projected at almost 50%. The report also highlighted the concrete steps to make smart cities Cities are characterised by strained importance of developing an effective a reality with the launch of ‘India’s infrastructure which manifests itself as transformation and implementable 100 Smart Cities Challenge’ in 2015, power cuts and water shortages, a high strategy dovetailing the efforts of all where 100 aspirant cities competed cost of living, and unaffordable real the city actors to achieve the future with each other to come up with estate, resulting in urban sprawl and development of sustainable and holistic plans for becoming model VOXPVDQGDKLJKYROXPHRIWUDIğFWKDW competitive cities that addresses cities. causes pollution and delays. social, environmental and economic 7KHğUVWURXQGRIWKH6PDUW&LWLHV The motivation to become a smart issues in a holistic manner and provide Challenge received a tremendous city is driven by the need to surpass opportunities to all their stakeholders response across the nation, with the challenges posed by traditional and inhabitants. city administrators and government and conventional cities. Overcoming In this year’s report, performance- RIğFLDOVRISDUWLFLSDWLQJFLWLHV these critical challenges in a systematic based assessment has been conducted enthusiastically engaging with manner is critical for cities to attain for 20 major Indian cities in terms of citizens to shape a clear vision which sustainable and progressive growth, the operational effectiveness of the captures each city’s strategic ambition. while meeting the needs of all its urban services being delivered to the Workshops, webinars, fairs, walkathons stakeholders: citizens, businesses and citizens. The 10 cities analysed in and social media were leveraged governments. the previous report have also been across cities to stimulate discussion on the possible avenues for merging the Acknowledgment of the fact that the included in the analysis to assess concept of sustainability with the smart real India resides in large as well as the effectiveness of their start-to- city framework to improve the quality small cities has led to the proposition smart journey over the period of one of life for city inhabitants. Several of developing 100 smart cities. This year. A comprehensive assessment lakhs of responses were received from will serve to ease the pressure of of the current situation of each city citizens regarding key focus areas, pain migrant population in existing urban is conducted using various social, areas and prospective solutions to make enclaves and ensure that the struggles economic and urban components and their city smarter and more liveable. associated with urban living (slums, metrics. One of the main objectives smog, sewage and congestion) become of this assessment was to reveal the In Round 1, the 100 participating cities a thing of the past. current situation of these cities in were evaluated on a set of stringent terms of the selected parameters. This SDUDPHWHUVDQGJXLGHOLQHV7KHğUVWOLVW 4 PwC - The Indian Express Group of 20 smart cities for the Smart Cities In a bid to ensure equity in The third list of cities that were Challenge was released in January opportunities to all states and union selected: 7KHVHFLWLHVZRXOGEHWKHğUVW territories, a list of 23 additional in line to receive funds to achieve the cities was prepared. These cities were 1. Amritsar goal of transforming into a smart and given an opportunity to participate sustainable city that can address social, in a fast-track programme to improve 2. Kalyan environmental and economic issues in a their proposals and resubmit them holistic manner while making the most for evaluation by 30 May 2016. Out 3. Ujjain of future opportunities. These cities of these, 13 cities were selected to 4. Tirupati are currently improving upon their compete in the next cycle of the India proposals for necessary compliance Smart Cities Challenge. 5. Nagpur on the basis of counsel from the panel The list of fast-track cities that 6. Ajmer of experts who evaluated them. They ZHUHbVHOHFWHG will be rigorously monitored to ensure 7. Aurangabad adherence to the committed timeline for the implementation of the smart 1. Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 8. Hubli city proposals. 2. Warangal, Telengana 9. Gwalior