open house: Given civic issues, has the Smart City project succeeded in transforming urban landscape?
Draw comprehensive development plan
The Smart City mission launched by the Prime Minister in 2015 is designed to improve the quality of life in selected cities by providing efficient services, robust infrastructure and sustainable environment. Amongst the cities chosen under the project is the bustling and busy city of Jalandhar, selected for systematic transformation, where the initial focus is on improving cleanliness and beautification. Accordingly, some areas show notable improvement under the beautification drive, while the inconsistent management of household waste and its quick transportation to disposal sites exacerbates the cleanliness issue, even in an upscale neighbourhood. Meanwhile, rampant encroachments along roads and crowded markets and dysfunctional street lights, coupled with unauthorised parking, disrupt traffic flow which causes inconvenience to the daily commuters. Further, the city infrastructure starts crumbling in many ways even after a mild spell of rainfall, calling for priority resolution of the challenges of waterlogging and broken roads. Apparently, the absence of initiatives for upgrading parks or new parking facilities reflects a lack of foresight, whereby environmental sustainability remains neglected. Public transportation, too, falls short of expectations, indicating that much more is needed to achieve the objective of the mission. Sadly, despite the newspaper reports of poor state of civic amenities in many parts of the city and the resident welfare societies/NGOs raising concerns about lack of adequate care, no action is taken against the negligence of officials involved. Obviously, Smart City project appears to be struggling despite significant allocation of funds for rejuvenating the landscape of the city. Thus, the need is to draw a comprehensive development plan involving local citizens and make it public for implementation in a scheduled manner to avoid subsequent objections or disturbances of any kind. In all likelihood, success of the mission depends on responsible behaviour by the residents and proactive vigil by the civic authorities on maintaining hygiene, environmental care and effective management of public utility services.
Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath
Initiatives should be taken collectively
Jalandhar city has been designated as part of the Smart City project initiated by the Union Urban Development Ministry, in September 2016 to transform its urban landscape. The initiative focused on improving the city's core infrastructure and quality of life, utilising technology to foster a sustainable and inclusive environment. Key focus areas included upgrading water supply, rejuvenating the canal system, improvement of sanitation and solid waste management systems besides advanced healthcare facilities. Additionally, enhancing urban mobility, developing an efficient public transport system, establishing robust IT connectivity, implementing e-governance initiatives, and promoting sustainability through greenfield developments and retrofitting existing areas have also been the objectives. The project consisted of two important components: Area-based development and pan-city initiatives. The area-based development encompasses around 1,055 acres within the city, with boundaries starting from DAV College covering Workshop Chowk, Football Chowk, Sports Market to Bisht Doab Canal, etc. In the pan-city programme, the MC proposed the upgrade of public transport system, including the introduction of high-quality CNG AC and non-AC low-floor buses having GPS devices. For improving public safety, the plan included the installation of CCTV cameras and sensors at vulnerable locations as well as smart poles offering Wi-Fi and LED lighting. Furthermore, advancements in water management involving smart billing systems, leakage detection, ghost pipe detection systems and the use of data analytics for water and sewerage networks have been anticipated. However, all these initiatives, if taken collectively might have succeeded in transforming Jalandhar into a more connected, efficient, smart and sustainable urban landscape but a lot remains to be done.
Kulwant Singh Phull
Project should work with sincerity
The Smart City project was launched on June 25, 2015 in 100 cities to improve the living standards of the residents and solve the main issues confronting them. The smart city project had the main target of reducing waste, everyday problems, improving social and economic quality, safer roadways, reduction in crime, enhanced public safety, improving air and water and increasing access to light. 90% of smart city projects have been completed, only 10% remains due to legal issues, delays in obtaining clearance from different departments, land acquisition challenges and problems of vendors. If the Smart City project works honestly, a lot of problems can be solved, like transportation, energy, building lighting and heating, and city administration. There are so many issues to resolve.
Sucha Singh Sagar
Success requires responsibility
The upcoming elections of Municipal Corporation bring back memories of the promises that remained unfulfilled after the previous election. Over the years, condition of the city's urban landscape has degraded just like an 'orphaned child', nobody to call his own. The city is never given the attention it deserves by its leaders. Jalandhar Smart City Limited's (JSCL) objective was to make the city a top sports and manufacturing destination in Asia. These initiatives are a big failure, just like the failures of various waste management initiatives of JSCL. The city's urban landscape is 'aesthetically pleasing', thanks to the massive garbage heaps, potholes and stinking canals. The parks where once young children played and had fun now has stray dogs. The agony of the residents is exacerbated due to the unaddressed civic issues. Leaders may find it necessary to remember their responsibilities towards residents this time before the elections.
Sapna Madaan
Take drastic measures to improve situation
Given the present state of civic conditions in the city, the so-called smart city project appears to be a distant dream only. The Smart City project was launched by the Centre as its flagship scheme and Jalandhar residents were delighted to see their city included in the prestigious project. Since its inception, the civic conditions in general have worsened and most unfortunately, they are deteriorating day by day with no visible sign of any improvement or reversal of the trend. The city's waste collection/disposal system has collapsed and no serious efforts are in pipeline to restore the basic infrastructure to tackle the menace on sustainable basis. The cleanliness and hygienic conditions of the city are at their worst. In some parts of the city, the roads are non-existent with no immediate plan to repair or rebuild them. The conditions regarding street lights were never as pitiable as they are now. Above all, the residents are shocked to hear about open embezzlement of funds in the name of making the city beautiful and affecting some infrastructural improvements. A few cases of corruption appear to have been detected but no follow-up action is known till date. The situation is tragically hopeless and can be retrieved only through drastic measures by the state government.
Jagdish Chander
Work is in progress on various projects
A few chowks have been renovated, LED lights have replaced sodium lights, laying of underground water pipeline are in progress through which river water will be distributed in the city. Most development works were started by the previous governments and the work is in progress on various projects. The Burlton Park stadium , fish aquarium, laying of storm sewerage lines, replacement of water pipeline in the inner city and laying of parallel sewerage line need immediate attention and replacement because the life of the GI pipes is almost for five decades. The need of the time is to demolish those pedestrians pavements which are more than three feet wide and convert the size to three feet because if the size of the pavement for pedestrians is three feet, it will be used to park cars/two-wheelers. One-way traffic plan should be implemented strictly. The other major issues are of garbage dump on Kapurthla Road. It needs immediate attention. A new project for new elevated road is the need of time and the administration should go ahead to know the number of cars passed in an hour. The administration should keep a strict eye on potholes on the roads and repair them in no time. Jalandhar Cantt railway station is going to become a modern/model railway station. The city bus service is yet to be restored.
Rajat Kumar Mohindru
Smart City project is a misnomer
No, the Smart City project has not at all succeeded in transforming the urban landscape. This is because of the fact that there are visible ditches and potholes in the whole city resulting in road accidents daily. Moreover, due to a large number of vehicles on roads in the whole city, Amritsar has become the second most polluted city after Delhi resulting in health hazards for people. Moreover, in our city, unlike other cities of Punjab, there is no development for sports for children like stadiums for badminton, swimming pools, hockey etc. The name Smart City project has been given by politicians just to misguide the residents in order to woo the voters to win elections and thereafter they go in deep slumber.
Sanjay Chawla
