Smart Cities Mission: Objective, progress, list of cities, latest update

In the past decade, the government has launched several initiatives to transform cities into smart cities by integrating technology, infrastructure and services to enhance urban living. These initiatives were part of the Smart Cities Mission launched in 2015.

Table of Contents

Top smart cities in India

Indore

Indore in Madhya Pradesh has been ranked the ‘Best Smart City’ in India at the National Smart Cities Conclave 2023. The city has also been ranked as the cleanest city for six consecutive times. The Indore smart city project focuses on retrofitting to make existing areas more efficient and liveable. Indore is a fast-developing Tier-2 city with immense growth potential. The city attracts students due to the presence of educational institutions such as IIM and IIT. Areas such as Airport Road, Premium Park Colony, Rau Road, Nipania, Sheetal Nagar, Alok Nagar, Ujjain Road, etc. provide excellent options for property investments.

Chandigarh

Chandigarh was selected as a Smart City in May 2016 under the Fast Track Round of the Smart Cities Challenge period. The Chandigarh Smart City Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), was formed in July 2016 to implement projects funded by the India Smart Cities Mission. With infrastructure developments such as the upcoming metro, the city offers numerous avenues for investment. The neighbouring towns of Zirakpur and Mohali provide a host of property options, including apartments and under-construction properties.

Jaipur

Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, was named in the list of smart cities in India. The city is a famous tourist destination. There are various smart schemes undertaken in the city such as the reuse and revitalisation of land, smart roads, etc. Jaipur is one of the rapidly growing Tier-2 cities in India, with the increasing number of IT hubs and several micro, small, and medium enterprises. The city provides excellent options for homebuyers and investors. Jagatpura, Sikar Road Corridor, Ajmer Road, etc., are some preferred localities.

Hyderabad

Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, ranks fourth in the smart cities in India, according to IMD Smart City Index. The city is an IT hub and attracts working professionals. Besides, the presence of affordable land has given a boost to smart city schemes. It is one of the metropolitan cities with a well-developed infrastructure, thus a preferred investment destination. Manikonda, Kukatpally, Ameerpet, etc. are some of the popular localities.

Kochi

Kochi is the commercial capital of Kerala and a well-known tier 2 city in India. The city is becoming a favourable investment destination, providing plenty of commercial and residential properties. Kochi is among the first 20 cities chosen under the Central Government’s Smart Cities Mission. The project covers solid waste management, canal restoration, housing, health centres and hospital development and water management supply. Kakkanad, Aluva, Panampally Nagar, etc., are some preferred localities to invest.

What is India’s Smart Cities Mission?

Under the Smart Cities Mission, the government selected 100 cities across the country to receive funding and support for various projects aimed at making these cities efficient, sustainable and citizen-friendly. The government selected the 100 smart cities through four rounds of competition from January 2016 to June 2018. Each city had its unique set of projects; however, the common focus areas included:

Infrastructure: Upgrading and modernising infrastructure, such as roads, transportation, energy, water supply and waste management systems.

Technology integration: Implementing smart technologies and IoT (Internet of Things) solutions to improve efficiency and effectiveness in various areas, including traffic management, public safety, waste management and utilities.

E-governance: Introducing online platforms and digital services to make government services accessible and citizen-friendly.

Sustainable development: Incorporating sustainable practices, such as promoting renewable energy sources, green buildings and eco-friendly transportation options.

Citizen engagement: Encouraging active citizen participation and involvement in decision-making processes through various channels, including mobile apps and community engagement programs.

Urban planning: Developing comprehensive master plans for city development, taking into account population growth, urban sprawl and environmental concerns.

Safety and security: Implementing advanced surveillance and monitoring systems to enhance public safety and emergency response.

List of 100 Smart Cities in India

Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Ajmer, Rajasthan
Akola, Maharashtra
Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh
Amritsar, Punjab
Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh
Belagavi (Belgaum), Karnataka
Bengaluru (Bangalore), Karnataka
Bhagalpur, Bihar
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
Bokaro, Jharkhand
Chandigarh (Chandigarh Urban), Union Territory
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Cuttack, Odisha
Dahod, Gujarat
Davanagere, Karnataka
Dehradun, Uttarakhand
Delhi (New Delhi), National Capital Territory
Dhanbad, Jharkhand
Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh
Dispur (Guwahati), Assam
Faridabad, Haryana
Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
Greater Mumbai (Mumbai), Maharashtra
Greater Vishakhapatnam (Visakhapatnam), Andhra Pradesh
Gulbarga (Kalaburagi), Karnataka
Gurgaon (Gurugram), Haryana
Guwahati, Assam
Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh
Haldia, West Bengal
Hisar, Haryana
Howrah, West Bengal
Hubballi-Dharwad, Karnataka
Hyderabad, Telangana
Imphal, Manipur
Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
Jaipur, Rajasthan
Jalandhar, Punjab
Jalgaon, Maharashtra
Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir
Jamnagar, Gujarat
Jamshedpur, Jharkhand
Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh
Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Junagadh, Gujarat
Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Karnal, Haryana
Kavaratti, Lakshadweep
Kochi (Cochin), Kerala
Kohima, Nagaland
Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Kolkata (Calcutta), West Bengal
Kota, Rajasthan
Kottayam, Kerala
Kozhikode (Calicut), Kerala
Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Ludhiana, Punjab
Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Mangaluru (Mangalore), Karnataka
Muzaffarpur, Bihar
Mysuru (Mysore), Karnataka
Namchi, Sikkim
Nagpur, Maharashtra
Nanded, Maharashtra
Nashik, Maharashtra
Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
New Town Kolkata, West Bengal
North DMC (North Delhi Municipal Corporation), National Capital Territory
Oulgaret (Puducherry), Union Territory
Pali, Rajasthan
Panaji (Panjim), Goa
Panipat, Haryana
Panvel, Maharashtra
Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh
Patiala, Punjab
Patna, Bihar
Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra
Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Puducherry, Union Territory
Pune, Maharashtra
Raipur, Chhattisgarh
Rajkot, Gujarat
Ranchi, Jharkhand
Rourkela, Odisha
Sagar, Madhya Pradesh
Salem, Tamil Nadu
Satna, Madhya Pradesh
Secunderabad, Telangana
Shillong, Meghalaya
Shivamogga (Shimoga), Karnataka
Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

Smart Cities Mission: Progress Monitoring

An apex committee, headed by the Housing Ministry Secretary, monitors the progress of the mission regularly and reports the project implementation status through a real-time geographical management information system (GMIS). A Smart City Advisory Forum (SCAF) is established at the city level to advise and enabl collaboration among various stakeholders. It consists of members of Parliament, members of legislative assemblies, city mayors, district collectors, local youth, technical experts and other stakeholders. All 100 smart cities have established their independent SCAFs. So far, the smart cities have convened more than 756 SCAF meetings.

At the state level, a high-powered steering committee (HPSC), chaired by the chief secretary, has been established. Besides, the Housing Ministry nominee directors on the boards of the special purpose vehicles (SPVs) regularly monitor the progress in respective cities. The ministry regularly interacts with the states/smart cities through video conferences, review meetings, field visits and regional workshops at various levels to assess their performance and handhold them for improvement.

Smart Cities Mission: Progress

As on July 7, 2023, work orders have been issued by 100 smart cities in 7,978 projects. Of these, 5,909 projects (74%) have been completed. Also, Rs 73,454 crore has been released for 100 smart cities, of which Rs 66,023 crore (90%) has been utilised.

India won the prestigious World Smart City Award under the Innovation category at Smart City Expo World Congress 2022 in Barcelona for their data initiative. The mission was picked from among 337 proposals received from 60 countries.

Role of Integrated Command and Control Centers

An important milestone achieved in the mission has been the operationalisation of Integrated Command and Control Centers (ICCC) in all smart cities. These ICCCs work as the brain and nervous system for city operations. They have led to better management of urban services in diverse fields like crime tracking, safety & security of citizens, transport management, solid waste management, water supply etc.

“One of the salient features of ICCCs is their ability to foster inter-departmental coordination. Various key departments of the city like traffic police, health, water, solid-waste management, irrigation department, etc., have been integrated with ICCCs. One of the most important integrations achieved in most cities is with the police department. ICCCs have been successful in improving surveillance, enhancing safety and security of citizens, preventing and resolving crimes etc. Efforts to link ICCCs with criminal data base under CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and System) have been undertaken. The integration with CCTNS boosts a city’s ability for effective policing by developing and integrating data and crime records across police stations and providing centralized citizen portal for a number of citizen-friendly services,” Minister of state for housing & urban affairs Kaushal Kishore told the Lok Sabha in a written reply on August 10, 2023.

Smart Cities Mission: Latest Updates

May 23, 2023: Housing and Urban Affairs minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, on May 3, 2023, said that the implementation of the Smart Cities Mission at the city level was done by a special purpose vehicle (SPV), playing an instrumental role in monitoring the projects to utilise the full potential of the path-breaking mission. The minister stated that India’s urban future would draw heavily from the innovations being nurtured in these 100 smart cities.

March 23, 2023: Under the Smart Cities Mission, ICCCs (Integrated Command and Control Centers) have been operationalised in all the 100 smart cities, which have been envisaged to act as the brain and nerve centre of the enabling cities with a decision support system for enhancing the quality of life for its citizen. These ICCCs are playing an important role in ensuring better monitoring and efficiency in areas like traffic management, solid waste management and water distribution management. Smart Cities have also effectively used ICCCs and related smart infrastructure for better management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

ICCCs help cities achieve more with less, using real-time data, centralised monitoring and informed decision-making, which is driving cities towards inclusion, efficiency and innovation. Out of 100 ICCCs, 30 are working on traffic management and transportation issues, such as Adaptive Traffic Control System (ATCS), Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS), Red Light Violation Detection (RLVD) and Automatic Number Plate Recognition System. Some cities, which have adopted traffic management systems as part of their ICCCs, include Ahmedabad, Surat, Chandigarh, Kanpur, Ludhiana, Nashik, Saharanpur, Ujjain and Vishakhapatnam.

FAQs

What is the Smart Cities Mission?

The Smart Cities Mission, launched on June 25, 2015, aimed at providing core infrastructure, a clean and sustainable environment and a decent quality of life to the citizens through the application of smart solutions. A total of 100 cities, selected through a two-round competition, are in various stages of development under the Smart Cities Mission.

What is the objective of the Smart Cities Mission?

The objective of the mission is to promote sustainable and inclusive development. The idea is to look at compact areas and create replicable models, which will act as lighthouses for other areas in the same city/other aspiring cities. The Smart City Proposal (SCP) of each city is prepared through extensive citizen engagement. Since the needs and aspirations of the citizens in different cities are different, the priorities and projects contained in such SCPs vary from one city to another. Ensuring connectivity through airports was not envisaged as a mandatory objective under the SCM.

How are smart city projects funded?

The mission is funded through a collaborative effort involving Central, state and local governments.

How were the 100 cities selected for the Smart Cities Mission?

The selection of cities was based on a competitive process. Each state and union territory nominated a certain number of cities and the final selection was made based on their proposals and feasibility.

How are smart city projects monitored and evaluated?

The Housing Ministry oversees the implementation of the Smart Cities Mission. Each city has an SPV responsible for project execution. The project’s progress and impact are regularly monitored by various city, state and Central agencies.

How many smart cities are in India?

The National Smart Cities Mission was launched by selecting 100 cities across the country.

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Harini Balasubramanian

Harini is a content management professional with over 12 years of experience. She has contributed articles for various domains, including real estate, finance, health and travel insurance and e-governance. She has in-depth experience in writing well-researched articles on property trends, infrastructure, taxation, real estate projects and related topics. A Bachelor of Science with Honours in Physics, Harini prefers reading motivational books and keeping abreast of the latest developments in the real estate sector.