Smart City Mission In Pune Set To Conclude Amidst Mixed Results And Unfinished Projects
Smart City Mission In Pune Set To Conclude Amidst Mixed Results And Unfinished Projects
Pune, a key city in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Democratic Alliance government’s Smart City Mission, is set to conclude its participation by June 2023. The mission, launched in 2015, aimed to transform urban infrastructure, but many projects remain incomplete or have yet to commence.
Under the Smart City Mission, Pune embarked on various developmental initiatives, including beautification projects, footpath widening, concrete road construction, bicycle tracks, and an integrated command centre. However, some critical projects, such as affordable housing, failed to materialize, and several ongoing efforts are yet to reach completion.
In line with the central government’s directives, the Pune Smart City Development Corporation Ltd (PSCDCL) is in the process of transferring project responsibilities to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Initially scheduled to wrap up in 2022, the mission’s implementation period was extended to June 2023 by the central government, though no new projects will be started. Pune’s district guardian minister, Chandrakant Patil, has urged the PMC to finalize all Smart City projects by March 2023, ahead of the official deadline. Patil reviewed various projects, including senior citizen parks, science parks, augmented reality parks, tree maintenance, Wi-Fi facilities, emergency call boxes, smart e-buses, street lights, and adaptive traffic management systems.
Current estimates suggest that around 60% of the Smart City projects in Pune are completed. However, initiatives such as the Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS), affordable housing, e-rickshaws, smart parking systems, and road asset management systems have either not begun or are in various stages of progress. The public bicycle sharing system, among others, has been discontinued.
When Pune Pulse spoke to Prithviraj B P, Additional Municipal Commissioner of PMC stated that the government of India has given extension to smart city projects for another year and we are expecting to finish remaining projects at earliest. He also stated that the state government will fund development projects and we are trying best to complete it as per deadline.
As the Smart City Mission nears its end, Pune’s focus will shift to completing and maintaining the infrastructure improvements initiated under the program.
