Age-Old Problems with the Smart Cities
Posted by admin on 2024-09-18 |
India is urbanizing at a breakneck
speed, and with that growth comes increasingly overwhelming traffic and
pollution challenges. Back in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Smart
Cities Mission, the Indian government’s flagship program. This ambitious
initiative aims to develop 100 smart cities across the country, with a focus on
using technology to tackle urban issues. But can smart cities truly address
India's deep-rooted traffic and pollution problems, or is it more of an
idealized vision than a realistic solution?
What is a Smart City?
A smart city integrates
digital infrastructure to improve urban services like transportation, waste
management, and pollution control. Through real-time data analytics, Internet
of Things (IoT) devices, and artificial intelligence, smart cities aim to
provide citizens with a more efficient and sustainable urban environment. For
India, the Smart Cities Mission was designed to "drive economic
growth and improve the quality of life," using technology to make cities
more livable and sustainable.
The program's ambitious budget of
?98,000 crore (roughly $13 billion) has sparked a flurry of activity in
selected cities. But for all its promise, the real question is whether these
efforts are addressing the most pressing urban problems, especially traffic and
pollution, or if they are just another layer of bureaucracy and complexity.
The Traffic Nightmare
One of India’s most urgent urban
challenges is traffic congestion. According to a Boston Consulting Group
(BCG) study, cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru rank among the
world’s worst for traffic jams, with commuters losing over 1.5 hours a day
stuck on the roads . The Smart Cities Mission proposed various technological
fixes to this, such as intelligent traffic management systems. These
systems use sensors and cameras to monitor real-time traffic and adjust traffic
signals accordingly.
Cities like Pune have started
using adaptive traffic lights to ease congestion. The idea is that by
collecting real-time traffic data, signals can be adjusted dynamically to
alleviate bottlenecks. In Ahmedabad, smart parking systems help drivers
find available parking spots through apps, reducing time spent circling the
streets and contributing to traffic jams. The use of AI-driven traffic
systems in Hyderabad is showing promising results, cutting delays
and rerouting traffic to less congested areas.
However, the irony is hard to
ignore. While PM Modi’s vision of smart cities includes reducing
traffic, the 2019 NCRB data showed that the rate of road accidents due
to traffic congestion actually increased in several cities since the mission’s
launch. In many cases, basic infrastructure like well-maintained roads and
public transport are still underdeveloped. The fact that we are turning to
high-tech solutions while struggling to provide decent roads underscores the
gap between ambition and reality.
Pollution: A Breathless Crisis
India's air pollution is a global
headline. In 2021, Delhi was labeled as the most polluted capital city
globally, according to the World Air Quality Report, with average
pollution levels more than 20 times the World Health Organization (WHO)
limits . Traffic congestion exacerbates this, with vehicle emissions
contributing significantly to poor air quality.
To counter this, smart cities are
adopting air quality monitoring systems. Cities like Surat and Rajkot
have installed real-time sensors to track pollution levels and notify officials
when air quality becomes dangerous. These systems, in theory, allow local
governments to take immediate action, such as limiting traffic in certain zones
or issuing public health advisories.
There’s also been a push for electric
vehicles (EVs), with cities like Nagpur rolling out India’s first
all-electric public transport system . The government has incentivized the use
of EVs, with the hope that it will cut down emissions. However, adoption
remains slow, and electric vehicles still account for only a tiny fraction of
the market, given the lack of charging infrastructure and the high upfront
costs.
While these efforts are commendable,
the larger problem of pollution persists. PM Modi's vision emphasizes
tech-heavy solutions, but the lack of consistent enforcement of environmental
regulations is a glaring issue. Open burning of waste and unregulated
industrial emissions continue unchecked in many cities, creating a disconnect
between the vision of smart cities and the on-the-ground reality.
The Road Ahead
India's smart cities program is a
step in the right direction, especially as the country’s urban population is
expected to rise to 600 million by 2031 . However, smart cities alone
cannot solve India’s traffic and pollution problems. What’s needed is a broader
focus on sustainable urban development, including better roads, reliable
public transport, stricter pollution regulations, and citizen engagement.
Technology can play a vital role, but it needs to complement—rather than
replace—the fundamentals of urban planning.
