Planning for a Smart City with a Human Face in Developing India

Abstract

In today’s world of increasing urban development and interconnect­edness, the role of the city as “ an engine of growth” and development is being recognized more and more. Though urban centers are associated with greater access to basic facilities and services— educational, medical, cultural, employ­ment opportunities, and greater involvement of polity in the developing econ­omies—cities often have poor infrastructure and services and sub-standard living conditions. Currently, smart cities are being hailed as the solution to all problems with the help of ICT and its enabled services around the globe, they lack clarity in totality. The smart city mission, which launched as a flagship program in India, is working in the same spirit. With the advancement of science and technology, the importance of ICT and digitization in the overall governance of towns and cities cannot be underesti­mated. The feasibility of this option in India, where a sizable proportion of the population lives in villages and below the poverty line, remains questionable. Research studies have proven that the root cause of compulsive migration to urban areas is the search for improved livelihoods, which further aggravates urban poverty. Amid this background, India needs to plan and develop cities and villages in synergy with regional and local contextual realities. On the foundation of this integra­tion, Indian cities could be built to be more liveable, sustainable, pros­perous, and inclusive smart cities “with a human face.