Why Smart Cities Have Turned into Sinking Streets?

General Studies Paper-3

Context

• A decade after the launch of the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), which aimed to transform 100 Indian cities into models of efficiency and sustainability, the floods in several Indian cities revealed the fragile infrastructure and selective beautification, instead of resilient cities.

About Smart Cities Mission (SCM)

• It was launched in June 2015 with the aim to transform 100 cities into urban models that are citizen-friendly, sustainable, and technologically advanced.
• It is designed to align with other national initiatives like AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission, Digital India, and Housing for All, ensuring integrated urban growth.
• It has delivered impressive outcomes — smart roads, Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs), and digital infrastructure, with over ₹1.64 lakh crore sanctioned across 8,000+ projects.

Concerns & Issues Highlighted

• Urban Pressure: According to the World Bank, India’s urban population is set to nearly double from 480 million in 2020 to 951 million by 2050.
  • Megacities like Delhi and Mumbai continue to swell, while Tier-2 cities such as Bhubaneswar, Indore, and Coimbatore emerge as new growth centres.
  • Cities, because of urban pressure, are like to face the problem like choked drainage systems due to unplanned construction; housing shortages leading to informal settlements; and transport failures under surging traffic;
• Shifted Priorities: Smart Cities Mission (SCM) invested in small islands of ‘smartness’ — digitised streetlights, refurbished flyovers, and centralised command centres, instead of building resilience.
  • Core issues like flooding, drainage, and affordable housing remained unaddressed.
  • It missed the chance to create sustainable satellite towns capable of absorbing migration, by prioritising cosmetic upgrades.
• Resilience Gap: The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) was designed to complement Smart Cities Mission (SCM) by addressing issues like water supply, sewerage, stormwater drains, and green spaces.
  • Cities still face crippling monsoon paralysis, despite higher allocations in its second phase (₹2.9 lakh crore).
  • The problem lies in slow execution along with the siloed planning — with different schemes tackling isolated issues, rarely integrated into a coherent strategy.
• Overlooking Greenfield Opportunities: Most SCM efforts focused on retrofitting existing metros, while Greenfield opportunities like building new, holistic urban centres were sidelined.
  • Industrial hubs under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) leaned towards finance and industry rather than inclusive, housing-led growth.
• Structural Challenges: Cities were required to set up Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) — corporate entities led by bureaucrat or private stakeholders — to execute projects.
  • It bypassed elected municipal bodies, raising concerns about democratic accountability and citizen participation.

Smart Cities Mission and Flood Management

• Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF): It was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
  • It evaluates cities on their readiness to tackle climate change, including flood risks, through indicators like water management, urban planning, and biodiversity.
  • It includes:
• Stormwater monitoring via Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems;
• Area-based development projects that include green infrastructure and permeable surfaces;
• Knowledge products and case studies documenting scalable flood mitigation strategies

Way Forward

• Creating, Not Retrofitting: India’s urban policy needs to pivot from retrofitting to creating, and to build new, resilient, and affordable cities that attract both people and investment, like Shenzhen.
  • Progress should be measured by ease of living, affordability, and governance.
• Fiscal Incentives for Growth: To make new cities viable, governments could adopt fiscal innovations:
  • Lower property taxes and stamp duties in early years;
  • Streamlined approvals for housing and business;
  • Incentives for sustainable construction;
• Realigning Smart Cities Mission (SCM) with India’s Evolving Urban Challenges:
  • Re-centering citizen participation in planning and monitoring;
  • Expanding pan-city solutions beyond digital dashboards to include climate adaptation, affordable housing, and inclusive mobility;
  • Strengthening municipal capacity and integrating SPVs with local governance;
  • Prioritizing sustainability through nature-based solutions and green infrastructure;
  • Ensuring equitable development that reaches beyond central business districts and elite zones;