91% of Smart Cities projects completed, Rs 1.47 lakh crore invested: Center
With 100 cities spearheading the initiative, the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) has completed 7,380 out of 8,075 projects, with an investment of Rs 1,47,704 crore, the government said on Wednesday. As of December 13, 91 percent of the total projects have been successfully completed, indicating significant progress in urban regeneration across India, the Department of Housing and Urban Development said in a statement.
Launched on June 25, 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ‘Smart Cities Mission’ aims to improve the quality of life in 100 cities by providing efficient services, robust infrastructure, and sustainable solutions.
Focused on economic growth, inclusiveness, and sustainability, it addresses diverse needs such as housing, transportation, education, health care, and recreation, with the goal of creating flexible urban areas that serve as models for other cities.
All 100 smart cities have active ICCCs, which use data to make informed decisions. These ICCCs have served as Civid-war rooms during the violence and have greatly improved city operations such as mobility, water supply, and solid waste management by incorporating emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, and data analytics.
“More than 84,000 CCTV cameras have been installed in 100 smart cities, which help in monitoring crime. In addition, 1,884 emergency call boxes, 3,000 public address systems, and traffic enforcement systems for red light violations and automatic number recognition, improving public safety,” according to the department.
More than 17,026 kilometers of water supply system are monitored through Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), reducing water infiltration and leakage.
More than 66 cities are managing solid waste through increased use of technology, improving route management, collection efficiency, and day-to-day management.
About 9,194 vehicles have been RFID-enabled to digitize Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) and improve waste management efficiency, departmental data showed.
More than 1,740 kilometers of smart roads have been built or improved, and 713 kilometers of bicycle tracks have been developed.
While 9,433 smart classrooms and 41 digital libraries were built, 172 e-health centers and clinics (with no beds available), and 152 health ATMs were also built, the Department said.
