Answer:

Most Indian cities are examples of unplanned urbanization. Physical infrastructure like public transport, housing, hospitals and schools etc is inadequate for sustaining the growing population pressure, both quantitatively and qualitatively resulting in urban dreams becoming urban nightmares.

The Smart Cities Mission is an attempt to upgrade existing infrastructure and ensure sustainable development through focus on sustainable and inclusive development. It is concerned with converting certain areas of an existing city into a “smart city” by city improvement (retrofitting), city renewal (redevelopment) or city extension (Greenfield development). Assured water and power supply, sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, robust IT connectivity, e- governance and citizen participation along with safety of its citizens are its aims.

With credible financial backing promised by the government, the mission if implemented earnestly has potential to transform the urban landscape.

The Mission puts the onus on Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in providing the roadmap of smart city. However, centre has proposed Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) constituted in each city with powers to implement the mission. It will plan, appraise, approve, release funds, implement, manage, operate, monitor and evaluate the Smart City development projects.

Many Municipal Corporations fear that they would get side-lined and their autonomy compromised due to SPVs. ULBs will have a stake in SPVs, but an SPV is also empowered to enter into PPPs.

The Mission encourages State government and urban local bodies to delegate the rights and obligations of the municipal council with respect to the project to SPV. Hence the influence of private investors and consulting firms in urban governance is likely to increase with Smart Cities and this is worrying for ULBs.

Concerns regarding the stifling of local autonomy and democracy are valid since, instead of the democratically elected local government, it will be an SPV mandated by a central policy that will govern the smart city.

Admittedly, our local governments are not the most efficient or responsive, but an SPV- driven Smart City is not a lasting solution to the ills of city governance.

A sustainable urban future would require comprehensive governance reforms that empower city governments with more administrative and financial powers and devolve functions further to lower units within the city government in true democratic spirit.