India’s urban landscape is transforming at an unprecedented pace, and with it, the Smart Cities Mission has sparked both excitement and debate. For architects and designers, it’s about more than just installing tech – it’s about integrating sustainable, meaningful design that will define the cities of tomorrow. But are India’s smart cities truly intelligent ecosystems, or are they just dressed up with modern gadgets?
BUT FIRST; WHAT IS A SMART CITY?
The Smart City Mission, launched by the Government of India in 2015, aims to promote sustainable and inclusive development in urban areas. A "smart city" in the Indian context is defined as a city that leverages technology, governance, and citizen participation to enhance the quality of life, economic growth, and sustainability.
Agendas of Smart City Mission:
Urban Infrastructure: Improved water, electricity, sanitation, and smart traffic systems.
Affordable Housing: Slum rehabilitation and housing for all.
Sustainability: Renewable energy, waste management, and green spaces.
Smart Solutions: IoT-based services, e-governance, and real-time data use.
Efficient Mobility: Smart parking, public transport, and walkable cities.
Citizen Participation: Active public involvement in urban planning.
Area-Based Development: Retrofitting, redevelopment, and greenfield projects.
Economic Growth: Promoting start-ups, jobs, and tourism.
The Heart of a “Smart City”: More Than Just Technology
In the Indian context, a smart city is much more than a tech upgrade. Beyond Wi-Fi-enabled streets or sleek apps, it needs to address core urban challenges: housing, waste management, sustainable transportation, water supply, air quality, and efficient land use. For India, where cities hold layers of history, culture, and community, creating a smart city means blending this heritage with intelligent design solutions.
Recent reports highlight progress in cities like Pune, where the integration of a centralized command and control center has significantly improved traffic management and emergency response. As per the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), 90 out of the 100 planned smart cities have operational Integrated Command and Control Centers (ICCCs). Urban planner Bimal Patel points out, “Technology is only a tool. If it doesn’t address the fundamental issues of equity and sustainability, it’s just window dressing.”
Challenges: Smart Design or Quick Fixes?
Despite promises of a tech-powered future, many Smart Cities in India often seem like patchwork solutions. Are we truly seeing sustainable urbanism or just aesthetic upgrades? For architects, creating smart infrastructure should be about integrating renewable energy, eco-friendly materials, and adaptive reuse to revitalize existing spaces rather than starting from scratch.
For instance, Bhubaneswar’s smart city project has made strides in disaster resilience planning. However, its emphasis on rapid tech deployment often overlooks deeper issues like affordable housing. Architect Rahul Mehrotra critiques, “Smartness isn’t about speed; it’s about thoughtfulness. Are we adapting these technologies to our dense, vibrant urban fabric, or are we trying to retrofit Western models?”
Indian cities face unique environmental and social challenges. Unlike Western cities, they are compact, densely populated, and often lack basic infrastructure. Rainwater harvesting and solar power, for instance, need thoughtful integration in both new and old neighborhoods, as seen in Surat’s climate-resilient urban practices.
Sustainability and Smartness: Are They Truly Aligned?
The true measure of a smart city lies in its sustainability. Yet, in many projects, sustainability goals remain secondary to tech installations, leaving questions about whether these cities are genuinely built to last.
Indore’s waste management system has become a model of sustainability, focusing on segregation, composting, and biogas production. This contrasts with cities where the emphasis is solely on IoT-based solutions. Environmentalist Sunita Narain notes, “We need cities that breathe. If sustainability isn’t prioritized, all the tech in the world won’t make our cities livable.”
The Way Forward: Smart Cities with a Conscience
So, what’s the solution? To truly create smart cities, India must prioritize long-term impact over short-term wins. For architects, this means pushing for policies that ensure smart technologies support sustainable urbanism. Urban green spaces, adaptive reuse of structures, low-impact infrastructure, and resilient design strategies are key.
Public participation is equally critical. In Coimbatore, citizen engagement through digital platforms has led to more inclusive urban planning. This approach ensures that smart cities aren’t just top-down projects but reflect the needs and aspirations of local communities.
Finally, architects and designers must advocate for measurable outcomes. Key performance indicators (KPIs) like energy efficiency, air quality improvement, and reduced commute times should guide the evaluation of smart city projects. Only by grounding our cities in tradition and innovation can India lead in smart urbanism. As urban theorist Jan Gehl says, “Cities are for people. If we forget that, no amount of technology can save us.”
India’s Smart Cities have the potential to become models of thoughtful design, sustainability, and efficient urban living. But this will only happen if we bring architectural integrity, sustainable principles, and technology together in harmony. Only then will we have cities that are not just smart – but truly wise.
Truly, India’s smart cities must aim to be not just modern, but wise and people-centric.