In sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to develop 100 Smart Cities in the country, New Delhi district is making hay while the sun shines. The district is going to have round-the-clock water and power supply, Wi-Fi connectivity, standard infrastructure and integrated transport system. Besides e-governance, the city will be encroachment-free.

The Ministry of Urban Development (UDM) has included New Delhi in its smart city pilot project.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has already started working on the project. It is setting up Wi-Fi zones and has finalised a uniform design for streetlight poles which will have Wi-Fi antennas, security cameras and lED lights to make it a world-class city.

“NDMC has already started Wi-Fi connectivity in Khan Market, and Connaught Place is next in the line. To convert 11 districts into e-district, the Delhi Government is working on it. The Capital has already started working upon the criteria that is seen as a benchmark of Smart City,” sources said.

The contours of smart city, the dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being finalised by the UDM. Ministry Secretary Shankar Aggarwal has sent a comprehensive letter to the Chief Secretary of Delhi seeking his views and suggestions on this issue.

In a smart city, economic development and activity is sustainable and rationally incremental by virtue of being based on success-oriented market drivers such as supply and demand. It benefits everybody, including citizens, businesses, Government and environment.

Quoting profusely from the speech of Finance Minister (from his speech on July 10), Aggarwal said: “As the fruits of development reach an increasingly large number of people, the pace of migration from rural areas to the cities is increasing. A new middle class is emerging which has the aspiration of better living standards… The Prime Minister has a vision of developing 100 Smart Cities, as satellite towns of larger cities and by modernising the existing mid-sized cities.”

Citing aforesaid excerpts, the MoUD secretary said: “The JNNURM has come to an end on March 31, 2014. Now the Ministry is preparing a new and ambitious urban renewal mission document to support the effort of states in order to improve our cities. The President has laid stress on building cities with world class amenities. This will focus on project financing for essential infrastructure while on the other hand will support states in capacity building and reform implementation.”