Each aspiring city had to compete for selection as a Smart City in what is called a “City Challenge”.
The two stage selection process involved intra state competition in which the State/UT shortlisted the potential Smart Cities on the basis of conditions precedent and scoring criteria and in accordance with the total number allocated to it and then each of the potential 100 Smart Cities prepared their proposals for participation in the “City Challenge” at the MoUD level. Government of India has now announced the list of 20 cities selected to be taken up for development as smart cities in Round 1 of the Smart City Programme out of the 97 competing cities. On the basis of the scoring done by the panel of experts, the top 20 cities have been selected for funding in the current financial year (2015-16). Udaipur stood sixteenth in the ranking with 57.91% score.
To move towards a more livable city, Udaipur shall focus on creating a model of sustainable urbanization based on New Urbanism principles that have the transformative potential to provide citizens with prosperity, safety, and equity. The focus is on transitioning from conventional urban spatial planning to prioritization of solutions based on the “three-legged” approach adopted from the New Urban Agenda of Habitat III- legal systems, urban planning, and local fiscal systems.
Projects with an investment of Rs.1526 Cr were proposed in Udaipur smart city plan. It includes Rs.1104 Cr worth of projects for Area Based Development and Rs.422 Cr worth of projects for Pan City Solution.
How did the Projects arrive at?
Citizens Engagement
The strategy was focused to engage all segments i.e. men, women and children at home, public places, institutions and work places through personal, in-group’s and media contacts. All key stakeholders – residents/elected representative, civic authorities, industrial / trader organizations were mobilized and actively engaged to dialogue and describe their views on long term vision and the top of mind five priorities for improving quality of life.
Methods | Extent | Inclusion |
FGD/ in-depth interviews | 250 ward level feedback camps | Covered all age groups, economic class, every part of the city, associations and individuals for feedback. |
Ward Level feedback camps | 64,486 no. of citizens feedback received through ward level campaigns | People who do not have access to ICT means were consulted through camps |
Drawing competition | 700 entries received during drawing competitions | Key officials from the civic authorities/ line departments, residents of all wards including slums dwellers, hotel associations, industry associations, doctors, transporters associations, judiciary/ local bar association, educational institutions and other prominent citizens from the city including the Maharana Ji of Mewar |
Slogan competition | 44,000+ comments or discussion @myGov* | |
Essay competition (schools, youth and open to public) | 543 essay (both students and open to citizens) | |
ICT based tools - MyGov and Action Udaipur along with polling, discussions, blogs | • Voting/ poll @myGov ~1,000+ in each poll* • Action Udaipur website poll in progress* • 23 individual meetings* |
Outcome of Citizens Engagement (including myGov feedbacks)
The above statement captures the essential elements for any respectable city. However, to aspire to be truly smart, the city needs to incorporate use of Information Communication Technology for improving Infrastructure, Environment and Governance through Data Driven Systems and improve quality of life of all the residents by innovative planning and efficient management using Smart Technologies. Smartness on the one hand is generally characterized by the ability to do or achieve more with less (inputs), across various urban domains / elements than conventional cities. Moreover, the solutions being projected to convey smartness should also be relevant to the local setting and context of each habitat.
Whereas Udaipur has a long and rich history, it aspires to continuously innovate and adapt to the changing global environment and remain timeless in its appeal as a city. This uniqueness needs to be conserved and made the foundation for its transformation as a Smart City and its sustenance for future generations. Those living in the historic city inhabit some of the most architecturally and culturally dynamic places in the world. These neighborhoods may also be transformed into economically vibrant places despite outmigration from the city centers and deteriorating infrastructure.
The most resilient foundations for growth for any city would be economic sustainability. Tourism would continue to remain the guiding force that would drive the economic and social transformation in the city, using technology based interventions which would make it a centre of excellence. The common man or the citizen would have to be at the centre of policy making for this evolutionary process