The world’s urban population is expected to be multiplied leading to raised use of energy, increased air pollution, increasing traffic in urban areas, increasing usage of food, and reduced food production. There are numerous available solutions in this field, but achieving smart cities is one the furthermost effective ways.
In an talk on ‘Challenges in Development of Smart Cities’ organised ‘online’ by ‘Housing and RERA Committee’ of Builders’ Association of India recently, the keynote speaker, Jyothi Gupta, Architect, Geospatial Data Scientist and Author, University College London, UK, detailed the challenges in regard to realisation of smart cities and also challenges after their creation. She spoke on the basis of a research done by her. She said that the research is a narrative review; that is a type of methodological approach and status quo review.
In this research, challenges were identified and analysed by analysing available data; consequently, challenges are classified to: challenges before creation of smart city and challenges afterward. Finally challenges such as: infrastructure challenges, economic challenges, managerial challenges, challenges of integration between sciences, technology and theory in advance, cultural challenges, technology trap challenges, and educational challenges after achievement were extracted she added.
She stressed that for a successful planning in the field of smart cities, it is vital to take all of the mentioned challenges to account.
The event was inaugurated by Mu. Moahan, President, BAI who gave an brief overview on the concept of ‘Smart City’ and listed out the core infrastructure elements a smart city would include. But, he added that the list is illustrative and there is no specific list and cities are free to add more applications.
Baburao Shakkarwar, stressed that while planning ‘Smart Cities’, Government should ensure that the methodology going into creation of the ‘Smart Cities’ are also ‘Smart’, wherein the ‘contract / tender conditions’ of various vendors / agencies involved in carrying out works in creating the ‘Smart City’ are equitable.
Anand Gupta, Chairman, BAI’s Housing and RERA Committee formally welcomed the participants.
The ‘Question and Answer Session’ after the presentation was very informative and was moderated by Pradeep Nagawekar, General Secretary, BAI.
