Since there are constraints on the capacity of the governments to finance urban infrastructure, the need to channelise private capital has become critical.
Cities are like economic powerhouses, generating about 80% of the world’s GDP. India is no different, with places like Mumbai and Delhi alone generating GDP more than that some of the countries. To keep our cities thriving and improving, we need to build new infrastructure and upgrade the existing one. The number of people living in cities in India is supposed to reach 600 million by 2036. This humongous growth provides an opportunity as well as poses a challenge to improve service delivery and quality of life for millions of citizens.
IN: Jammu and Kashmir: Srinagar: Smart City Project Introducing 32 Battery-Powered Boats In Dal Lake
In a move set to redefine the cityscape and revive historic water routes, Srinagar is gearing up to introduce battery-powered boats as part of a new public transport network early 2024. These will manage public transport requirements for the people living within the lake and also link the cultural spaces located on the banks of Jhelum.
The plan envisions a fleet of 32 battery-powered boats crisscrossing the Dal lake’s five basins, including the Nehru Park, Nishat Bagh, Hazratbal, Nigeen, and Barari Nambal basins. To achieve this, extensive dredging will be undertaken on waterways such as the Dalgate-Rainawari route, reviving access to areas like the Shalimar Garden that were previously only accessible from the lake.
Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) has taken another step to facilitate citizen centric services in the territory. CSCL chief executive officer Anindita Mitra launched the interactive chat-based interface named 'Birbal' that merged all major citizen services provided by Chandigarh administration and municipal corporation into one seamless platform to provide efficient and user-friendly citizen services. The innovative artificial intelligence-driven chatbot is bound to provide hassle-free services.
"BIRBAL reaffirms the city's commitment to leveraging technology to create seamless experiences for residents. Its primary objective is to provide accurate information and guide citizens toward the appropriate resources. Through BIRBAL, citizens will have access to comprehensive information on the major services offered by the UT administration and MC, making it a one-stop platform for information dissemination and grievance redressal," said Mitra.
The state government launched a unified, single-window portal to provide various services under the department of housing and urban affairs on Friday.
People under 103 urban local bodies (ULBs) will now be able to avail the municipal service along with other departmental services through this portal.
Read more: IN: Assam govt launches single-window portal for 103 urban local bodies
Three months after the installation of 7,701 LED street lights was halted by Coimbatore Corporation due to complaints of poor quality materials used for the project, a resolution was passed by Mayor Kalpana Anandakumar on November 1, once again permitting the installation of the lights at ₹20.97 crore which was sanctioned earlier this year.
With this, 6,250 LED streetlight with Energy Saver Mode tech will be installed on the existing poles with electricity connection in North, South, East and West Zones at ₹19.34 crore. The remaining 1,451 lights will be installed on new electric poles for which electricity connection is yet to be given.