Ranchi, in Jharkhand, is one of the 100 cities selected for development under the Centre’s smart city project. The progress in this regard can be gauged from the fact that Jharkhand secured the top position in state-wise rankings of India’s smart city projects in December 2023. Ranchi Smart City has jumped to the second spot in the smart cities list of 100 cities.
Under the project, the city is being developed as a knowledge hub for both formal and non-formal sectors. Home to government organisations, PSUs and R&D centres, Ranchi, despite being rich in human capital, struggles to retain its people as the young population often moves out to pursue higher technical education.
Therefore, the smart city plan aims to reinforce Ranchi’s ‘educational institutes in preparation for welcoming knowledge-based industries’. Plans are underway to develop ‘an efficiently managed traffic and transportation system-based city’ to reduce travel time and traffic violations to make Ranchi a safe city for pedestrians and commuters.
Goals of the Ranchi smart city mission
- To make Ranchi an education hub for Jharkhand and other north-eastern states of the country in 5-10 years
- To reduce travel time and traffic violations
- To develop Ranchi as the cleanest and greenest city
Implementation mechanism for Ranchi Smart City Project
A special purpose vehicle, Ranchi Smart City Corporation Limited, was incorporated in September 2016 for the project’s execution. Roles have been assigned to various state-run departments for the implementation of the Ranchi Smart City project.
| Department | Responsibility |
| Ranchi Municipal Corporation | SPV partner |
| Urban Development Department | Approver & SPV partner |
| Housing Department | Residential plotting |
| Energy Department | Necessary approvals |
| Transport Department | Transport hub |
| IT Department | ICT Services |
| Forest Department | Environment impact assessment |
| Education Department | Statutory approvals |
| JUIDCo, developers, contractors | Contracting/developing |
| Financial institutions | Lending |
Ranchi Smart City: The plan
The Ranchi Smart City is being developed under two components – area-based development (ABD) and pan-city development.
Area-based development (ABD)
This component focuses on building a state-of-the-art infrastructure in Ranchi, the city plans to develop an encumbrance-free land zone of 656 acres within 5 km of the central business district (CBD). This zone will lie in proximity to the proposed capital complex, the airport and the Hatia Railway Station.
Under the ABD plan, Ranchi will be developed in the following manner:
| Land use | Land (in acres) | % of total |
| Institutional | 134.06 | 20% |
| Residential | 86.51 | 13% |
| Commercial | 67.07 | 10% |
| Public/Semi-Public | 54.60 | 8% |
| Mix Use Component | 69.14 | 11% |
| Open spaces | 245.05 | 38% |
| Total area | 656.43 | 100% |
Map of the area-based development plan for Ranchi Smart City
Zoning layout plan of area-based development site for Ranchi Smart City
Land-use break-up of area-based development site for Ranchi Smart City
Mobility pattern in area-based development site for Ranchi Smart City
(All images sourced from https://udhd.jharkhand.gov.in/)
Pan-city development projects
To provide the city with a robust transport and traffic management system, an integrated traffic and transport system (RITTS) is being developed to combine existing and upcoming systems through modern technology. It will provide a digital platform for integrating public transport management, parking management, corridor management, intermediated public transport integration, fare management along with integration of ABD’s transport and traffic needs. The new system will be housed in a Central Control and Command Centre, the epicentre for all traffic and transport-related decision-making.
Progress so far
According to the Ranchi Smart City CEO, Amit Kumar, the project is in the final stages of infrastructure development, including the area-based development and the urban civic tower project.
While the traffic command and control room is fully operational, infrastructure development work in the Dhurwa area is near completion. Plots for various purposes have been auctioned by the city in three phases, focusing on planned development.
‘The Ranchi Smart City Limited is executing development work of unparalleled quality, aiming to commence constructions promptly on the recently auctioned plots. Our dedication is directed towards ensuring that the construction on these plots starts as soon as possible,’ Kumar said in December 2023.
FAQs
Who is the CEO of Ranchi Smart City Limited?
Amit Kumar is the current CEO of Ranchi Smart City Limited.
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