These 12 Indian cities are the future of sustainable urban development

The holy city of Amritsar is located in the northern state of Punjab and is home to the famous Sikh shrine, the Golden Temple. The project put forward by Amritsar Smart City Limited (ASCL) is dedicated to revamping the public transport system. Their main objectives are to introduce more e-vehicles and “smart cards”, provide a feeder network for last mile connectivity, and digitize the public transport system. This will not only bring down costs and make public transport more accessible for both residents and visitors, but also benefit Amritsar’s environment in the long run.

Hubballi (or Hubli) and Dharwad are twin cities in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Hubli-Dharwad Smart City Limited (HDSCL) has come up with a proposal to build a green mobility corridor along the 8.5km drainage channel, the Unkal Nala. Besides improving the condition and controlling the flow of the channel, the project also includes building bike and pedestrian paths which would be connected to major roads of Hubli-Dharwad. This will address drainage issues faced by the area, and also promote environmentally-friendly transport options.

The capital of the northern hill state of Uttarakhand, Dehradun has developed into a busy and populous city over time. To tackle congested roadways, cost-ineffective transport and air pollution, Dehradun Smart City Limited (DSCL) has designed a mobility plan which is more commuter-centric, sustainable, and ICT-enabled. This involves reorganizing public transport routes, improving traffic management and building web/mobile apps for commuters. Most importantly, the plan contains components to ensure the road safety of children.

Amaravati is the new and developing capital of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh (after it split to form Telangana in 2014). The identified territory has a large number of people living in poverty. This is why Amaravati Smart and Sustainable Corporation Limited (ASSCL) intends to tackle essential developmental issues such as: building basic physical and social infrastructure, providing electricity, safe drinking water, healthcare and education, setting up waste management and sewerage systems, and engaging the community in these processes, with women in leadership roles.

Chennai is the capital of the coastal state of Tamil Nadu. Many of the city’s low-income families send their children to sub-standard public schools. To provide them with a more holistic and rewarding education, Chennai Smart City Limited (CSCL) proposes to install Smart Classrooms in these schools. Besides integrating digital learning and building science labs, the project will invest in physical infrastructure, promote extra-curricular activities, work on gender parity in the classroom and playground, and promote capacity building for teachers and other stakeholders.

Visakhapatnam is the largest city and commercial centre in Andhra Pradesh. Like CSCL, the Greater Visakhapatnam Smart City Corporation Limited (GVSCCL) also wants to improve the city’s municipal schools. They plan to add to their current pool of 149 schools and upgrade existing ones by turning underused land into functional spaces, building infrastructure to increase accessibility, and investing in IT to make “smart” campuses. The aim is to encourage outdoor activities and digital literacy among students, and rebrand Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) schools.

* selected cities in the CITIIS program would receive a grant of €100 million from AFD as well as €6 million of additional funding from the European Union to mobilise the expertise they required.