Smart Cities Mission Completes 90% Of Rs 1.64-Trn Projects

New Delhi: India’s Smart Cities Mission is set to complete a decade of its existence in June with 90 per cent of the Rs1.64 lakh crore worth of projects, focused on mobility, potable water and sanitation across 100 cities, having been completed, according to an SBI report released on Tuesday.

The Smart Cities Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 25, 2015, with more than 8,000 multi-sectoral projects to be developed in these 100 cities. As many as 7,504 projects amounting to Rs1.50 lakh crore (90%) have now been completed, according to the SBI report.

An impact analysis of the smart cities mission shows a significant transformation with Smart cities having witnessed a 23 per cent improvement in air quality over non-smart cities for the 6-year period ended 2024. The crime rates have also come down in cities which have implemented the scheme by 27 per cent, the SBI report states.

Over 83,000 CCTV surveillance cameras have been installed in 100 Smart Cities, aiding in crime monitoring. Additionally, 1,884 emergency call boxes, 3,000 public address systems, and traffic enforcement systems for red light violations and automatic number plate recognition have been installed, enhancing public safety, the report points out. Over 50 cities are managing solid waste with increased technology use, improving route management, efficiency of collection, and daily management. Around 4,400 vehicles have been RFID-enabled for Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) to digitise and improve solid waste management efficiency. More than 52 lakh solar/LED streetlights have been installed, and over 86,000 kilometers of underground electricity cabling have been constructed, the report further states.

Each city has developed a diverse set of projects, many of which are unique and being implemented for the first time, thus enhancing the cities’ capabilities and experience and achieving broader transformational goals at the city level, according to the report.

The main objective of the Mission is to promote cities to provide core infrastructure, a clean and sustainable environment and offer a decent quality of life to their citizens through the application of ‘smart solutions’