CONCEPT OF SMART CITY

A smart city is the integration of technology into a strategic approach to sustainability. Although there is no clear definition to define smart city but broadly "a city that monitors and integrates conditions of all of its critical infrastructures, including roads, bridges, tunnels, rails, subways, airports, seaports, communications, water supply, power, even major buildings, can better optimize its resources, plan its preventive maintenance activities, and monitor security aspects while maximizing services to its citizens is known as smart city."

The concept of a smart city is relatively new one. Smart cities are those which have smart (intelligent) physical, social, institutional and economic infrastructure. It is expected that such a smart city will generate options for all residents to pursue their livelihoods and interests meaningfully and with joy.

Smart cities are meant as virtual reconstructions of cities or virtual cities. The term 'smart city' has been broadly used as an equivalent to 'intelligent city', 'digital city', 'information city'. 'knowledge based city'. 'wired city', 'telecity', 'teletopia', 'cyberville, etc.




Apart from employment, it is also important for a Smart City to offer decent living options to every resident. This would mean that it will have to provide a very high quality of life (comparable with any developed Europen City) i.e. good quality but offordable housing, cost efficient physical such as 24 x 7 water supply, sanitation, 24 x 7 electric supply, clean air, quality education, health care, security, entertainment, sports, robust and high speed interconnectivity, fast & efficient urban mobility etc.


In this context :

  • Competitiveness refers to a city's ability to create employment opportunities, attract investments. experts, professionals and people. The ease of being able to do business and the quality of life it offer determines its competitiveness.
  • Sustainability includes social sustainability, environmental sustainability and financial
  • Quality of Life includes safety and security. inclusiveness, entertainment, ease of seeking and obtaining public services, cost efficient healthcare, quality education, transparency, accountability and opportunities for participation in governance.

Factors required to become a smart city :
  1. It should provide holistic urban environment embedded with the
  2.  fundamental values along with the options to grow and prosper.
  3. It should provide an opportunity to the new generations to participate in the City's management.
  4. It should provide satisfactory lifestyle to the people.
  5. It has to be a living city with respiratory system supported by its citizens and technology for its governance, management and functioning.
  6. It should be technologically sound and efficient city.
  7. It should have smart grids in infrastructure, transportation and energy.
  8. It should offer quality water supply, sanitation, electrical supply, cost effective health care, quality education, communication network, clean environment, solid waste management, better public transport, safety, etc.