Smart City? Government recycles old proposals.
India's technology capital has not come up with a smart proposal for its Smart City project. All the money the Centre will grant under the project will be going into old ideas that have been packaged afresh.
Just a few weeks ago, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed to implement Bengaluru's Smart City project placed the project plan before the minister for Bengaluru development and got his approval. Following this, the Infrastructure Development Corporation LtdBSE 0.94 % is preparing a detailed project plan for Smart City projects.
Bengaluru, which failed twice to make it to the Centre's list of cities chosen under the Smart City project, only got through in the third round after a push from political leaders. After all the hard work to this point, the city's new proposal is nothing to write home
about.
It is, at best, a slightly improved version of the original proposal: to revitalise the central business district through TenderSURE roads, redeveloping KR Market and Malleswaram Market, clean drainage systems leading to Ulsoor lake and Sankey tank.
It is, at best, a slightly improved version of the original proposal: to revitalise the central business district through TenderSURE roads, redeveloping KR Market and Malleswaram Market, clean drainage systems leading to Ulsoor lake and Sankey tank.
These repackaged proposals were the very reason the city did not make it in the first two rounds. For instance, a city-based consultant prepared a plan a year ago to redevelop the KR Market on a pro bono basis. It was discussed and passed at the BBMP Council.
Once the Smart City project surfaced, the previous proposal was dropped and the project was made part of the Smart City area development plan.
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01-2026
