ABSTRACT
Growth of cities, increasing urbanisation and associated need for sustainable need for sustainable urban development are globally recognised as one of the most challenges of 21st century. Rapid urbanization and globalisation across the world entails of a resource deficient planet, aspirations of people and need of the sustainable environment have fuelled the mind of the mankind to develop & innovate technologies to help societies and government and organizations manage cities professionally and efficiently. The concept that has emerged from this initiative is termed as “Smart City” which essentially is the interconnected and integrated management of information dissemination by application of advanced technologies to search, access, transfer and process required information by using information and communication technology (ICT) tools coupled with deploying censors and other intelligent devices. Besides managing a city efficiently, it is also crucial in emergency governance such as disasters and riots etc. It is the need of the time for transformation of our society into citizen-friendly society. This transformation shall be possible by developing our cities as “Smart City”.
Smart city as a concept initially came in public discourse in the years 1990s. Truly,, there is no definite definition of a smart city as such so far since definition and features of smart cities vary with topography, ecology, geography, size, density of population and more importantly resources of a country besides, and with climate and culture as well . In absence of adoption of a universally accepted definition of ‘smart cities’, the trend is evolving across the world in recent years and likely to accelerate rapidly in near future. The term smart city can be described as an urban community where emergent information technologies could be employed in order to collect, analyse, and apply data essential infrastructure and services, with the objective of improving the quality of life for its residents (Moser, 2001).
Over a period of time, there has been large scale innovations globally in digital technologies which has also combined low- cost censors and usage of smart phones, massive deployment of ICT towers made of optical fibres and infusion of censors for information sharing, information kiosks along with Machine learning and Artificial Intelligence besides enhanced data storage capacity of cloud computing. DIGITAL cities FEATURES the integration of digital technology into the city ‘core infrastructure rely on the digital city infrastructure to build intelligent buildings, Intelligent transportation systems, smart schools, enterprises, public spaces and essential public services.
Increasing urbanisation because of social migration from smaller rural areas and sub-urban cities thinkers across the globe have to think about the developing smart cities development in existing and brown field development facilities for the poor urban labour class, Rag pickers and marginalised sections of large population living in villages and sub-urban areas, their aspirations need to be addressed in smart city planning, stakeholders consultation is key thinking globally and also in smart city mission in India.
343In fact technologies should be considered as a tool for re-inventing urban communities for a new economy and society, that can enhance opportunities for reducing in the provision and quality of services.
There is clear need for to reinforce urban development and planning with sustainability parameters (socio-economic and environmental), and smart city initiatives in its myriad forms are one of the means to ensure the same.
Climate changed triggered natural disasters such as rising of sea level, cyclones, melting of glaciers, flood, drought etc. have financial implications, with major disruption to business operations, supply change and city finances. This entails that the development of smart city t actions are needed to make them disaster resilient as well. Covid-19 has further posed a challenge globally forcing the mankind coming up with innovative solutions on redesigning the smart cities,creating more open spaces led by open vs closed debate. And ensuring in case of a third waves and future viruses how to ensure supply chain requirement remain seamless.
