Rapid urbanisation, increase in population and expanded areas of urban local bodies (ULB) is resulting in increased demand for basic urban services like water supply, underground sewerage, recycle & reuse schemes, urban roads, pedestrian facilities, non-motorised transport, solid waste management, parking management etc.
In order to device strategies to effectively address challenges and to identify the future requirements in the Urban sector for efficient and effective service delivery to the public, Next Generation of Urban Sector Interventions has become an inevitable exercise at the pan provincial level.
Further Smart Cities Mission in India is an urban renewal and retrofitting program by the Government with the mission to develop smart cities across the country, making them citizen friendly and sustainable.
The above along with other interventions of urban environment rejuvenation & transformation at the national level are striving towards creating sustainable & climate resilient urban infrastructure.
Urban and sustainable infrastructures: the interventions that define the Smart City Mission
The objective is to promote sustainable and inclusive cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘Smart’ Solutions.
The focus is on sustainable and inclusive development and the idea is to look at compact areas, create a replicable model which will act like a lighthouse to other aspiring cities. The Smart Cities Mission is meant to set examples that can be replicated both within and outside the Smart City, catalysing the creation of similar Smart Cities in various regions and parts of the country.
Some of the core infrastructure elements in a Smart City would include adequate water supply, assured electricity supply, sanitation, including solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, affordable housing, especially for the poor, robust IT connectivity and digitalization, good governance, especially e-Governance and citizen participation, sustainable environment, safety and security of citizens, particularly women, children and the elderly and health and education.
The elements of the Smart City Mission
The strategic components of the Smart Cities Mission are city improvement (retrofitting), city renewal (redevelopment) and city extension (Greenfield development) plus a Pan-city initiative in which Smart Solutions are applied covering larger parts of the city.
Area-based development will transform existing areas (retrofit and redevelop), including slums, into better planned human settlements, thereby, improving liveability of the whole cities. Development of well-planned and fully serviced new areas (greenfield) will be encouraged around cities in order to accommodate the rapidly expanding population in urban areas. Application of Smart Solutions will enable cities to use technology to improve infrastructure and services.
Comprehensive development in this way will improve quality of life, create employment and enhance incomes for all, especially the poor and the disadvantaged, leading to inclusive cities.
Towards a global approach to assessing the critical issues of urban infrastructures
Given the impetus of national mission programs on urban environment rejuvenation & transformation, there has been visible change in availability of basic urban services & desired level of services.
And with increased engagement of private sector and technology enabled tools & solutions, the urban development shall be setting notable standards amongst the peers in emerging markets.
To articulate a clear vision for Urban Sector basis consultations with external stakeholders, including domain experts & policy think tanks group.
A comprehensive approach has to entail assessment of demand supply gaps, issues & challenges in urban infrastructure development and O & M implementation, cost recovery & sustainability and to assess and categorise cities in terms of positioning & growth potential to include specific timeframes and outcome-based benchmarks for implementation of proposed intervention.