Ever since our Prime Minister declared development of 100 smart cities, a curiosity has sprung up among the masses. And with Indore being included in the list, that curiosity has increased manifold. People in Indore have been wondering what really a smart city means and what changes are going to take place in the city. Let’s find out everything we need to know about smart city.
Origin of the concept- Smart City
In 2008, when the world was facing a terrible economic crisis, IBM began work on a ‘smarter cities’ concept as part of its Smarter Planet initiative. Soon, the concept captivated the imagination of various nations across the Globe. China, South Korea and UAE were among the first countries to invest into research and formation.
What is a smart city?
It is simply a city which is equipped with basic infrastructure to give a decent quality of life. It provides a clean and sustainable environment through application of smart solutions. Smart solutions here could mean inducing IT for troubleshooting and maintenance.
What does basic Infrastructure mean?
The basic infrastructure involves assured water and electricity supply, sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, robust IT connectivity, e-governance and safety and security of citizens.
How is it going to work in India?
As the shortlisting of the cities and formation of smart cities counsel is done, each chosen city shall receive Rs 100 crore for 5 years. This money will be used to improve quality of life in all the aspects including cleanliness, maintenance and technology based solutions.
What does Indore need?
The real success of any smart city is based on active participation by its residents, entrepreneurs and visitors in using innovative technology and energy saving. There may be many ways of creating sustainability in public spaces but in the end it all depends on end users and their behavior. Thus, engagement of the masses and their participation is very important.
