Creating Smart Cities - 2

The strategic components of Area-based development in the Smart Cities Mission are city improvement (retrofitting), city renewal (redevelopment) and city extension (greenfield development) plus a Pan-city initiative in which Smart Solutions are applied covering larger parts of the city.

Let us get into the descriptions of the three models of Area-based Smart City Development: Retrofitting will introduce planning in an existing built-up area to achieve Smart City objectives, along with other objectives, to make the existing area more efficient and liveable. In retrofitting, an area consisting of more than 500 acres will be identified by the city in consultation with citizens. Depending on the existing level of infrastructure services in the identified area and the vision of the residents, the cities will prepare a strategy to become smart. Since existing structures are largely to remain intact in this model, it is expected that more intensive infrastructure service levels and a large number of smart applications will be packed into the retrofitted Smart City. This strategy may also be completed in a shorter time frame, leading to its replication in another part of the city.

Redevelopment will effect a replacement of the existing built-up environment and enable co-creation of a new layout with enhanced infrastructure using mixed land use and increased density. Redevelopment envisages an area of more than 50 acres, identified by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in consultation with citizens. For instance, a new layout plan of the identified area will be prepared with mixed land-use, higher FSI and high ground coverage. Two examples of the redevelopment model are the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Project in Mumbai (also called the Bhendi Bazaar Project) and the redevelopment of East Kidwai Nagar in New Delhi being undertaken by the National Building Construction Corporation.

Greenfield development will introduce most of the Smart Solutions in a previously vacant area (more than 250 acres) using innovative planning, plan financing and plan implementation tools (e.g. land pooling/ land reconstitution) with provision for affordable housing, especially for the poor. Greenfield developments are required around cities in order to address the needs of the expanding population. One well known example is the GIFT City in Gujarat. Unlike retrofitting and redevelopment, greenfield developments could be located either within the limits of the ULB or within the limits of the local Urban Development Authority (UDA).

Pan-city development envisages application of selected Smart Solutions to the existing city-wide infrastructure. Application of Smart Solutions will involve the use of technology, information and data to make infrastructure and services better. For example, applying Smart Solutions in the transport sector (intelligent traffic management system) and reducing average commute time or cost to citizens will have positive effects on productivity and quality of life of citizens. Another example can be waste water recycling and smart metering which can make a substantial contribution to better water management in the city.

The Smart City proposal of each shortlisted city is expected to encapsulate either a retrofitting or redevelopment or greenfield development model, or a mix thereof and a Pan-city feature with Smart Solution(s). It is important to note that pan-city is an additional feature to be provided. Since Smart City is taking a compact area approach, it is necessary that all the city residents feel there is something in it for them also. Therefore, the additional requirement of some (at least one) city- wide smart solution has been put in the scheme to make it inclusive.

Financing of Smart Cities 
The Smart City Mission will be operated as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) and the Central Government proposes to give financial support to the Mission to the extent of Rs. 48,000 crores over five years i.e. on an average Rs. 100 crore per city per year. An equal amount, on a matching basis, will have to be contributed by the State/ULB; therefore, nearly Rupees one lakh crore of Government/ULB funds will be available for Smart Cities development. The project cost of each Smart City proposal will vary depending upon the level of ambition, model and capacity to execute and repay. It is anticipated that substantial funds will be required to implement the Smart City proposal and towards this end, Government grants of both the Centre and State will be leveraged to attract funding from internal and external sources.

The success of this endeavour will depend upon the robustness of SPV’s revenue model and comfort provided to lenders and investors. A number of State Governments have successfully set up financial intermediaries (such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Orissa, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar) which can be tapped for support and other States may consider some similar set up in their respective States. Some form of guarantee by the State or such a financial intermediary could also be considered as instrument of comfort referred to above. It is expected that a number of schemes in the Smart City will be taken up on PPP basis and the SPVs have to accomplish this.

Creating Smart Cities - 1

There's no reason why we can't dramatically improve the livability and creativity of cities. Businesses and communities worldwide are cooperating to find solutions that can be integrated flexibly, sustainably and aesthetically into urban structures to provide a better quality of life.

Most commuters are all-too familiar with traffic jams or delays in public transportation. Bikers and walkers are also affected by the stop-and-go of city traffic. Smart mobility has to be worked out for smart cities, which offers cities efficient, eco-friendly and comfortable transportation options. Cyclists and pedestrians in the smart cities of tomorrow might enjoy elevated paths that eliminate waiting at crosswalks. Urban railway stations can serve larger areas by installing fast-moving walkways that utilize overlapping panels to allow for a safe, slow start and finish, yet quicker speeds in transit. Longer distances can be traversed on raised roadways for driverless vehicles.

Improvements such as these also enrich the lives of people who don’t have cars of their own. Persons with disabilities particularly benefit from better connections that help them travel and reach new places in the cities they live in. With public transport reaching new levels of efficiency, many of today’s car drivers might decide to give up their vehicles altogether. Indeed, future public systems may work so well that cities could opt for car-free city centers.

The reduction in energy consumption and emissions that comes as a bonus protects the environment and makes the city an even better place to live. Smart cities pave the way to efficient, eco-friendly living. Traffic jams, pollution, derelict areas, these are problems that many cities face. And rising urban populations mean these problems may soon get a great deal worse.

The move toward smarter cities is one way to help urban areas grow and become better places to live at the same time. Imagine a city you know. How easy is it to drive there and find a parking space? Is the shopping district crowded; is it even safe to ride a bike? Now imagine that same city with even more cars, bikes and, of course, people. Lots more people. According to the United Nations, the world’s urban population will increase from around 3.92 billion in 2015 to 6.25 billion in 2050. That’s an increase of nearly 60 percent.

One way to accommodate this trend could be so-called “smart cities”. Cities that can source and interconnect the best solutions for mobility, sustainable energy, space utilization and, most importantly, offer a great place to live and work, despite rising population densities. Smart cities are green cities. Not only should cities function better at every level, they should achieve smart, sustainable economic growth while minimizing their impact on the environment.

At its most basic level, a city is a collection of networks: networks of people, technologies and infrastructure. When these networks work together well, they enable reduced energy consumption, optimal use of space and improved quality of life. Hoping and looking forward for Delhi as a smart city in near future. Possible only if action starts today!!

The Future is Smart

Smart cities make the most efficient use of the space and resources they have to provide an attractive and clean place to live. Everything and everyone works together harmoniously contributing ideas and finding solutions. If cities want to get smarter, they need to involve everybody. Citizen participation is the key. The users of public infrastructure are often the best source of ideas to inspire intelligent solutions. Social media is one way that businesses and city administrators can collaborate with the public. Users can post suggestions for improvement on company Facebook pages and interact with politicians on Twitter. Businesses can also contribute to better life in the modern metropolis. They can install the charging stations for e-vehicles, improve energy efficiency, offer cleaner energies and make getting around easier for everyone. Public-private partnerships are definitely a smart way to employ the competitive ingenuity of the private sector in order to improve public services.

The quality of urban life also depends upon having the right advocates for the environment. Ideas may flow in from so-called “think tanks”, cross-disciplinary teams in non-profit organizations or academic research centers, from anywhere. The MIT Media Lab, for example, has come up with an electric, stackable city vehicle for car sharing in urban settings. Sustainability degree programs and multi-field research teams can now also be found in universities around the world. Further support can come from standards and voluntary certification programs, which bolster the image and visibility of sustainable design. Furthermore, the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Certificate is a green building certification program that recognizes buildings for efficient energy consumption, water usage, recycling practices and air quality. International and regional certifications recognize businesses for going beyond the legal requirements. In return, companies can improve their image by showcasing their high standards of sustainability.

Ultimately all of this stuff can come together, a new model for mobility, a new model for housing, a new model for how we live and work, a path to market for advanced technologies, but in the end the main thing we need to focus on are people. Cities are all about people. They're places for people. There's no reason why we can't dramatically improve the livability and creativity of cities.

There are many initiatives that lead to smarter cities. They can involve construction, building management, urban planning, revitalization, mass transportation and city administration, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Renewable energies from wind, solar and thermal sources play a major role, because, among other things, public health depends on a healthy environment. Renewable energies support reduced fuel consumption and cleaner air, but cities will also have to learn to use energy more efficiently to really go green.

Buildings, for example, are responsible for 40% of the world’s energy consumption, making them an obvious target for cities that aim to reduce their carbon footprint. Buildings are ripe for the age of smart cities, with an expanding web of development across myriad fields: green roofing, combined heat and power, solar tech and much more. Even more exotic and innovative ideas like power-generating elevators are gaining ground, as well. Smart technology can also improve city living at the personal level. E-governance programs offer a direct link between citizens and public administrators. Smartphone apps may address public health, help people improve their energy efficiency or even just find the nearest parking space or ride sharing opportunities.

Making Delhi A Smart City

Imagine driving in Delhi without getting trapped in traffic, being able to drift around freely, knowing where to park and hopping on the public transport without losing time, energy and patience.

Let us see where we are and where we have to go!!

Challenges:
Metropolitan Cities like Delhi, are the places where 50% of the world’s population live today, Responsible for 75% of its energy consumption and 80% of its carbon emissions - and cities are growing. Cities face huge challenges: congestion, pollution, blackouts, crime, debt and rising costs - while competing with each other for investment, jobs and talents.

Cities need to become smarter: more efficient, sustainable and liveable.

5 Basic steps to make a city smart:
1. Vision: setting the goal and the roadmap to get there
2. Solutions: bringing in the technology to improve the efficiency of the urban systems
3. Integration: combining information and operations for overall city efficiency
4. Innovation: building each city’s specific business model
5. Collaboration: driving collaboration between global players and local stakeholders

As cities grow and expand, so will urban transportation systems - increasing traffic congestion, threatening safety, wasting commuter time and valuable fuel, and impacting the environment. Cities are where traffic flows – cars, buses, subways and trains epitomise city life.

Cities need to make mobility smarter: more efficient, reliable and green. green. Urban populations will nearly double by 2050 accounting for 70 percent of the world’s population. Undoubtedly, transportation systems will be impacted, increasing congestion, threatening safety, delaying commuters, burning up valuable fuel, and harming the environment. To meet current and anticipated challenges, Smart Cities around the world are finding Smart Mobility solutions for integrated city management—improving mobility for citizens through operational efficiency and smart information. Reduce urban traffic congestion and improve air quality through centralized, real-time adaptive traffic management.

As things stand, the urbanization agenda is: urban renewal; rejuvenation and the implementation of smart city concept; While renewal and rejuvenation are relatively easier to grasp, there appears to be only an evocative imagination in the public mind as to what the contours of a smart city could be. So, here are few suggested attributes that may well describe, and to some extent define a smart city. 

Information, communication, and technology (ICT)-enabled governance: The international and domestic big daddies of the information technology (IT) world have, with their aggressive presentations, virtually hijacked the smart city definition to only mean IT-enabled administration and governance. Often referred to as "smart government", the use of integrated technology platforms that are easily accessible across various devices is certainly key to providing access, transparency, speed, participation and redressal in public services.

Efficient utilities - energy, water, solid waste and effluents: This area is often the most talked about after IT. Smart meters, renewable energy, energy conservation, water harvesting, effluent recycling, scientific solid waste disposal methods etc.. all clearly mark the hallmark of a smart city.

Meaningful PPPs: The creative use of public-private partnerships (PPPs) is a key attribute of the smart city concept. PPPs are to be used not only as a source of much-needed capital but also for the efficient delivery of utilities with agreed service-level standards. PPPs could range from health care to street lighting; and be used wherever there is a clear connection between the provision of a service and the ability to charge for the same - directly or even indirectly.

Safety and security: This aspect is high in public consciousness, especially with disconcerting news on the safety of women, road rage, robbery attacks on the elderly and juvenile delinquency. Clearly, networks of video cameras, brightly lit public areas, intensive patrolling and surveillance, identity-verified access, and rapid response to emergency calls are all on the expectations list.

Financial sustainability: The 74th Amendment to the Constitution (1992) enjoins towns and cities to "take charge of their own destinies". Nowhere is this more important than financial independence. This is only possible with elaborate and extensive tapping of all sources of revenue - property taxes, advertisements etc. coupled with astute collection of user-pay charges across the full range of utilities.

Citizen-participative local government: The enthusiastic participation of citizens in local issues needs careful designing of electoral and participative forums. The current apathy towards civic elections needs comprehensive reversal.

Sufficient social capital: Smart cities cannot be devoid of the appropriate levels of social infrastructure - like schools, hospitals, public spaces, sporting and recreational grounds and retail and entertainment venues. Along with a brain that works, and hands and legs that move, it must also have a heart that beats to the joys of daily living.

Transit-oriented habitats: "Walk-to-work" is the dream solution here. Nevertheless, conveniently networked public transportation with first- and last-mile connectivity’s in place, reduced motivation to use personal vehicles, use of electric cars, and bicycle paths are all in the expectation matrix. 

Green features: Minimizing the carbon footprint and eco-friendliness are important. Parks and verdant open spaces, absence of pollution, use of renewables, conservation and recycling are mandatory. It has rooftop solar energy, electric cars and electric-powered bicycles.

India has 5,545 urban agglomerations. Class 1 towns (called cities) are those with a population of 100,000 and above. This should be the minimum population cut-off for a smart city. Achieving all the above-mentioned attributes may well be Utopian. So, maybe even if seventy percent of them are achieved, we should have no hesitation in declaring an urban habitation as a smart city.

What's next for the Smart City

City residents will have to be engaged in the Smart City process. The city’s open government platform brings citizens and public servants into closer contact and provides transparency into government operations. by training and engaging city residents, the city can indulge questions or concerns about the program during the initial phases of implementation.

Govt has to be very open and explain things communicating the projects and initiatives to the public. It is a change that shall affect the city and citizens in the midterm and long term, but in the short term, citizens can have other worries, so it is something which needs to be explained that it is for the long term good of the citizens in the future.

The city shall have to look at the ways to use the Smart City initiative to create a single Internet and telecommunications architecture for the city. The existing fiber-optic network can provide the backbone for the various smart technology projects. This infrastructure backbone is presently operated by the local telecommunications firm, a public-private contract can be worked out, to give it a shape. The fiber-optic network is one of the main projects, and it is called transversal because it is the layer on top of which all other Smart City projects shall be developed in the city.

Structuring for the various projects need to be done, may be in subsequent technological layers. The first layer to consist of sensors that can be deployed throughout the city in conjunction with the various projects. This can be the platform used for smart water, smart lighting, and smart energy management projects, as well as others. the sensor network can gradually be expanded in future years for other things. The city’s sensor platform can be developed specifically to aid the city in bringing all of its sensor data together.

The next layer of the “urban platform” is the sharing of data and analytics provided by the City Operating Systems with both clients within the city government and external data users. This will enable both public and private sector development of applications to improve city services and operations, along with helping to produce a better-educated administration and citizenry. If we can pull this off, I am sure it will be a revolution.

The city shall have to develop other plans to include projects to remotely control street-level lighting and to transition streets and lampposts to LED technology. In addition, smart city shall have to work with utilities to create a program to achieve greater energy efficiency. The plan should also include implementing remote irrigation control for the city’s green spaces, remote- controlled fountains etc...

The city shall have to initiate smart transportation which can include deploying orthogonal bus lines and zero-emissions mobility options, which include more hybrid taxies, public electric vehicles, recharging points, electric motorbikes, and private electric vehicles.

The city should initiate the Open Government program, which aims to bring transparency of the municipal government to citizens. This can start with the deployment of “Citizens Attention” kiosks and the launch of an Open Data portal that allows private citizens and companies to develop applications that address needs of city residents.

The implementation of the Delhi Smart City initiative is to set clear objectives and map out the steps necessary to attain the goals. The involvement of top-down political leadership to ensure that project have full support is a key factor, as well as having a leadership structure to coordinate.

The different aspects of the project. “Each one has to think ‘Do you want to be smart? What do you want the city to be as it grows, and how can you use technology to accomplish this?’”. By strategizing early on, potential roadblocks can be seen and needed resources identified before challenges arise. We have to start setting up the projects and, once we have the vision and a good army to help develop the projects, it shall be easier. All with the focus of making Delhi’s development as a technology-efficient, data-driven, environmentally sustainable 21st century city.

As the smart city concepts for Delhi are implemented, hoping to see dividends in the form of a more efficiently run city with a citizenry engaged with an open government, as well as a technological infrastructure that will attract companies and investment. City hopes to gain a better idea of what needs to be done to become a city of the future. New jobs shall be created through these Smart City efforts. If we can pull this off, it shall definitely be a revolution.

What makes a Smart City- New, New Delhi!!!

We need visionaries for our city to be transformed into a Smart City, not really putting focus on a concrete jungle, but going little steps forward and thinking about how technology can be used to transform the lives of the citizens. When I am referring to citizens, I am referring not only to those citizens like me who live in the city, but also to the companies who are part of the city. We need to have a social dream, which is to transform the city in a generation’s time through technology. Hopefully this is the only way to create a sustainable model of living.

Objective of a smart city is to Improve citizens’ quality of life and stimulate new Smart City economy including smart water, smart buildings, smart energy, smart parking, and more. Strategy is to Use new ICT (Information and communications technology) technologies cross- directionally to transform the city. It would require Citywide sensors to capture vital information for smart water, smart lighting, and smart energy management projects

Let us see what actually makes Barcelona a Smart City:

Smart City Barcelona seeks to efficiently provide city services at multiple levels to all citizens by harnessing information and communications technology (ICT) through development and implementation of the Barcelona Smart City Model. The model identifies 12 areas under which Smart City projects are initiated: environmental, ICT, mobility, water, energy, matter (waste), nature, built domain, public space, open government, information flows, and services. Currently, the city has 22 major programs and 83 separate projects that fit into one or more of these 12 areas. Some of these projects include smart lighting, smart parking, smart water management, and smart waste management.

Barcelona currently has more than 500 kilometers of fiber-optic network, development of which began more than 30 years ago when the city networked two municipal buildings with optical fiber. It was upon this initial network that current Smart City efforts were established. In 2012, the city government structured its Smart City projects under the umbrella of “Smart City Barcelona.” In addition to implementing smart technologies, the city has also utilized these connectivity projects to deliver coordinated services across departments. This has helped to eliminate departmental silos and improve the resident experience in Barcelona.

The Barcelona Municipal Institute of Information Technology, played a key role in this initial organizational formation, which emphasized involvement of the government, residents, and the business community in developing and shaping the city’s technological initiatives.

Barcelona is currently using an open tender procurement process to identify a developer to build what the city calls its City OS(operating system). This operating system will sit atop the city’s established network of sensor technology to collate and analyze data that is collected across the network. City officials envision this OS as an open platform working across the various specific smart technology projects operating in the city. The city sees this platform as the key to unlocking IoE(Internet of Everything) benefits associated with data analytics and predictive modelling.

The seed for Barcelona’s Smart City program began more than 30 years ago when the city first installed fiber-optic lines to connect two municipal buildings. Since that time, the city has continued to develop its fiber-optic network. In 2011, began a comprehensive Barcelona Smart City program. The first overarching goal was to improve efficiency of city services and to address sustainability and environmental concerns. Second was to transform the lives of the citizens and the companies who are part of the city.

The Barcelona Smart City program aims to provide city services at multiple levels to all citizens based on the use of Internet and telecommunications technology. Underlying Barcelona’s approach to its Smart City efforts is the idea that the city functions as a “network of networks.” A blueprint was established to connect the different city- affiliated “networks” — for example, transportation, energy, and technology. One key step has been the establishment of a Smart City Strategy team within the mayor’s office. This office is charged with promoting and coordinating Smart City application development throughout the city organization. This senior-level political support has been crucial to Barcelona’s ability to develop its Smart City projects. Increased government transparency has also been a critical component of the Barcelona Smart City strategy, helping city officials communicate and explain why they are developing new smart applications or publicly sensitive solutions, such as newly reconfigured bus routes. This has been helpful in gaining public support for projects, especially in a difficult fiscal environment.

For implementing Smart City project successfully for New Delhi, the political desire to examine and create a Smart City is vital. Smart city initiatives are required with leaders from around the country who clearly embrace the movement and are in positions to make positive changes. No one else but these are the people who can make it a success, others can just dream and write about it. It is only possible with top-down political vision, we can start thinking bottom-up, but the big, final push will be at the political level. If we don’t have political willingness, it is impossible. Coordinating across the various city departments shall be a great challenge.

The key to success shall of course be the top-level support from the CM, which shall help to cut through various layers of city bureaucracy and bring departments together. The city will also have to adapt to dealing with large multinational companies that may not be accustomed to working at the municipal/ local level. Partnering with key technology firms shall be a crucial part of developing New Delhi’s Smart City capabilities. All these developments cannot be done only by the city; we shall have to follow a strong and well-thought-out public/private partnership approach in which government has to encourage for both large and small private sector participants. Lot of food for thought as of now shall cover more details in next post!!

What is a Smart City ?

Understanding a Smart City. This year June, we had a family holiday in Barcelona, little did I know till then that we were visiting not only a Smart City but also the world’s first Smart City.

The Smart City is a new concept, defining a city that works to improve the quality of its citizens' lives by guaranteeing sustainable social, economic and urban development. A smart city is based on the use and modernisation of new information and communication technologies (ICT), to provide more efficient management of the city's services and resources.

The smart city concept means the development of a city with a higher quality of life. It is a broad concept integrating many of the interacting areas of a city: from mobility, energy and environment to governance. A type of city that is more liveable, functional, competitive and modern through the use of new technologies, the promotion of innovation and knowledge management, bringing together 6 key fields of performance: the economy, mobility, the environment, citizenship, quality of life and, management.

Smart city is a city in which all the initiatives are aimed at improving the quality of life, the sustainability and the efficient management of services, innovating with technology in materials, resources and models. Smart cities should be regarded as systems of people interacting with and using flows of energy, materials, services and financing to catalyze sustainable economic development, resilience, and high quality of life; these flows and interactions become smart through making strategic use of information and communication infrastructure and services in a process of transparent urban planning and management that is responsive to the social and economic needs of society.

Smart city uses new technologies to make it more efficient, functional, competitive, modern and liveable for its citizens. Underlying characteristics of the city, its old heritage and culture, have to be integrated as a part of the new development, this facilitates its evolution into a smart city and as a destination (i.e. the starting position of the city). Projects and policies put in place by the various city stakeholders, which act in the right direction for a future evolution into a smart city.

SMART CITY IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ITS CITIZENS ACROSS THE WHOLE OF SOCIETY. A SUSTAINABLE AND SELF-SUFFICIENT CITY NOURISHED BY INNOVATION AND NEW TECHNOLOGY.

In practice, a smart city has the capacity to meet the needs of its citizens (in terms of the environment, mobility, businesses, communications, energy and housing) and it thereby improves their daily lives. It is a city that facilitates the interaction of its citizens with its administration; where open information is available in real time; and where it is possible to be enterprising. Smart city is definitively a place that supports and fosters personal and business development.

Our PM, Mr. Narendra Modi has announced and given the vision of such smart cities in India, and New Delhi shall also be one of these projects in times to come. We associate ourselves with the dream project of our PM and look forward for its turning into a reality. It would require lot of efforts and above all the innovation, involvement and participation of each Delhiite’s in its own unique way. 

A city that wishes to aspire to being a truly Smart city must develop all of its key areas (transport, energy, education, health, waste management, security, economy…) simultaneously and transversally. Essentially the following three ideas establish the criteria that differentiate a Smart City:
• Efficient management of services and resources
• New tools and places for people, groups and institutions to interact with each other
• 
Use and integration of new technologies (ICT)

Some key elements on Barcelona ́s Smart City strategy-
Some learning’s from Barcelona ́s experience:
1. Government, Mobility, website for procedures and council services (Virtual office of the City Council).
2. “Open Data Multi-ayuntamiento”, a common site for the data diffusion of each municipality
3. Fiber optic installation in the whole city
4. Establishment of a public bicycle sharing system
5. Promotion of the electric car through the development of the necessary infrastructure (e.g. charging points)
6. The impulse of economic advantages (e.g. subsidies for the circulation tax)
7. Sensors to facilitate the parking search.
8. Free public Wi-Fi (the biggest network in Spain and one of the biggest in Europe)
9. Free Wi-Fi service for the users of the three railway stations of the Generalitat in the Eixample district
10. Intelligent traffic lights, with audio for blind people
11. Optimized traffic control through sensors for flow control
12. Trash containers sensors that optimize the collection routes
13. IT equipment for safety

14. First electric bus in Spain
15. “Manzanas autosuficientes” project: a new model for the construction and rehabilitation of buildings aimed at more energy autonomy and a more sustainable management.
16. Touristic guides through apps (e.g. Official Guide to BCN, Barcelona Restaurants, official audioguides, iBarcelona-Smartour, etc)
17. Touristic buses with Wi-Fi
18. Underground transport system guides, such as Barcelona Metro AR and Barcelona Metro
19. Augmented reality apps linked to the touristic buses
20. Videomapping sessions in emblematic buildings
21. Public-private collaboration
22. Vision and Long term Strategy
23. An integrated approach to drive change within the City Council organisation
24. Innovation and citizen ́s involvement
25. International promotion

If experts are to be believed, Spain has come forward to assist in transforming Delhi into a Smart City and a MoU may be signed shortly between the two countries accordingly. We look forward for a Barcelona in New Delhi.

The DDA, Land-Pooling Model

The land-pooling model proposed for land assembly and development with Developer Entities(DE) is as follows:

 • The two categories of land pooling are Category I - 20 Hectares(Ha) and above and Category II - 2 Hectares to less than 20 Hectares.
 • The land returned to Developer Entity (DE) in Category I (20 Ha and above) will be 60% and land retained by DDA 40%.
 • The Land returned to Developer Entity (DE) in Category II (2 Ha to less than 20 Ha) will be 48% and land retained by DDA 52%.
 • The distribution of land returned to DE (60%) in terms of land use in Category I will be 53% Gross residential, 2% City Level Public / Semi-Public and 5% City Level Commercial.
 • The distribution of land returned to DE (48%) in terms of land use in Category II will be 43% as Gross residential, 2% City Level Public/Semi-Public and 3% City Level Commercial.
 • DE shall be returned land within 5km radius of pooled land subject to other planning requirements.

Development Control Norms

• Residential FAR, 400 for Group Housing to be applicable on net residential land which is exclusive of the 15% FAR reserved for EWS Housing
• Net Residential land to be a maximum of 55% of gross residential land
• FAR for City Level Commercial and City Level PSP to be 250
• Maximum Ground Coverage shall be 40%
• Density of 15% FAR for EWS population shall be considered over and above the 
permissible Gross Residential Density of 800-1000 pph (person per hectare)
• Adequate parking as per norms of 2 ECS/100 sqm of BUA to be provided for Residential 
development by the DE. In case of EWS, the norms of 0.5 ECS/100 sqm of BUA to be 
provided
• Incentives for Green Building norms as per MPD-2021 to be applicable to Group Housing 
developed under this policy
• Basement below and beyond building line up to setback line may be kept flushed with 
the ground in case mechanical ventilation is available. In case not prescribed, basement 
up to 2 mts from plot line shall be permitted
• Sub-division of gross residential areas and provision of facilities (local and city level) shall 
be as per MPD 2021
• Local level facilities to commensurate with the density specified
• Tradable FAR is allowed for development. However, in case of residential use, tradable 
FAR can only be transferred to another DE in the same planning Zones having approval/license of projects more than 20 Ha Other terms and conditions
• Development along TOD (Transit Oriented Development-land development designed to encourage mass transit use) corridors in urbanisable areas will be as per TOD policy
• In case of fragmented land holdings, land shall be returned in the vicinity of the largest 
land holding within the same zone.
• EWS Housing unit size to be ranging between 32-40 sqm.
• 50% of the EWS Housing Stock shall be retained by Developer Entity (DE) and disposed 
only to the Apartment owners, at market rates, to house Community Service Personnel (CSP) working for the Residents/ Owners of the Group Housing. These will be developed by DE at the respective Group Housing site / premises or contiguous site.
• Remaining 50% of DUs developed by DE to be sold to DDA for EWS housing purpose will be sold to DDA / Local Bodies at base cost of Rs. 2000/- per sq. ft. as per CPWD index of 2013 (plus cost of EWS parking)
• Necessary commercial and PSP facilities shall also be provided by the DE for this separate housing pocket.
• The EWS housing component created by the DE shall be subject to quality assurance checks, as prescribed in this regard by Govt./DDA. The final handing/taking over of this component shall be subject to fulfilling the quality assurance requirements.
• The DE shall be allowed to undertake actual transfer/transaction of saleable component under its share/ownership to the prospective buyers only after the prescribed land and EWS housing component is handed over to the DDA.
• External Development Charges and any other development charges incurred for the city infrastructure shall be payable by the DE on actual cost incurred by DDA

Features Of L- Zone

In this post more features of L- Zone are being discussed, as of now present scenario and as of then, proposed by DDA in its Land Pooling Policy.

INFRASTRUCTURE- PHYSICAL:

WATER: Presently the major source of water in L- Zone is through ground water i.e. hand pumps, tube wells and village wells for domestic consumptions. The domestic demand is also supplemented through tankers and village ponds. According to MPD- 2001, the minimum domestic water supply in any residential area should be @ 135 litre per capita per day. The present population of these zones is about 1.5 lacs for which a minimum water requirement as per Master Plan norms works out to about 4.8 MGD and for projected population the requirement is estimated as 7.2 MGD. In order to improve the water situation, following specific proposals are made in the master plan:
i) Improvement of existing natural water bodies.
ii) Rain water harvesting, wherever feasible.
iii) Phased Planning and design of water augmentation and distribution system.

iv) Possibility of ground water recharge through Najafgarh Jheel.

SEWERAGE: Presently this zone does not have a regular sewerage system, being predominantly rural in character. Most villages in the zone have conservancy system with septic tanks. Najafgarh town is partly served by sewerage system, which needs augmentation. The zonal Plan proposes development of sewerage and sanitation systems for the entire zone in a phased manner. The following priorities have been identified for the purpose.
i) Najafgarh
ii) 6 growth centres.
iii) 10 growth points.
iv) Other basic villages.

POWER: All the villages in the zone have regular power supply to meet the domestic as well as agriculture power requirements. Diesel power generation sets are also in use to supplement the power supply through DVB. The eastern boundary of the planning zone L has 220 KV HT Corridor, connecting Bamnoli, Najafgarh and Bawana. The power network, shall be further upgraded by the Delhi Vidyut Board by erecting a 400 KV TC transmission line as indicated in the Plan. In order to improve the availability of power in the zone, a detailed distribution network needs to be planned by the D.V.B. essentially to meet the additional requirement of Najafgarh Town, proposed growth centres and Growth Points. The requirement of additional land for new sub-stations as well as transmission corridors etc. have to be duly integrated with planning and development of the Growth Centres / Growth Points, setting of wind mills and Solar Energy Centres at appropriate location with financial support of Department of non- conventional source of energy may also be explored.

DRAINAGE: Najafgarh drain is the major natural drainage system in the zone. The other important drains area Mundela, Mungeshpur drain with “outfall” in the Najafgarh drain . During heavy rains, part of the area in the zone covering settlements in the South and South West , occasionally face problem of flooding . The plan recommends desilting of major drains and planning and development of flood protection measures, through construction of bunds at appropriate locations, as per the recommendation of the Flood Control Deptt.

WASTE MANAGEMENT: Most of the villages have no formal arrangements for disposal of domestic waste. In the absence of the formal collection, transportation and disposal facility the waste is casually dumped outside the village abadi or along the road side. There is a scope for definite improvement in the collection, treatment and disposal of waste by way of identifying sites fir dustbins / dhallaos, land filling sites etc. Gobar Gas Plants and waste recycling centres may also be set up at selected location.

INFRASTRUCTURE- SOCIAL:
HEALTH: Delhi, being the capital city, enjoys specialized medical facilities not only for it’s population, but the population of surrounding towns. Master Plan proposes a six tier system of health facilities in the urban areas, with norms of 5 beds per 1000 population. No separate standard of health facilities for rural areas has been provided in the Master Plan. As per Directorate of Health Services, GNCT, Delhi, there are two hospitals and 36 dispensaries existing in the zone. For further upgrading and health facilities, following is proposed. The plan also recommends promotion of other forms of preventive and curative health facilities such as Homeopathy, Ayurvedic and Naturopathy as per the requirement and health policy of GNCT, Delhi.

The purpose of the plan is to promote quality of life by organizing the appropriate development of land in accordance with the policies and land use proposals contained in the plan. The basic priority of development is to:
i) Restrict urban related growth

ii) To conserve the natural features, to sustain the eco- system.

iii) To develop scheme for supply of water, power and other utilities
iv) Special Programme for job oriented education centre.
v) Implementation of Mini Master Plan Proposals.

vi) To promote agricultural prospects / provision.

Salient Features Of L - ZONE

The zone covers an area of 22,979 hectares and is surrounded by the following:

• NH-10 / Rohtak Road and Railway line, in the North
• On the fringe of, Zone ‘K’, mainly comprising of Dwarka Sub- City, in the East and
• The National Capital Territory of Delhi boundary on it’s southern and 
western sides.

Approximately 46 villages fall in this zone:
1. Tikri Lalan 
2. Jaffar pur alias (Hiran Kinda) 3. Neelwal
 4. Jharoda Kalan
 5. Dichaon Kalan
 6. Surekh Pur
 7. Mundhela Khurd
8 . Kair
 9. Mundhela Kalan
 10.Mitraon
 11. Dindarpur Khurd
 12. Khera
 13. Paprawat
 14. Surera
 15. Zafarpur Kalan
 16. Baquargarh
 17. Shamspur Khalsa
 18. Khera Dabar
 19. Kharkhari Jatmal
 20. Pandwala Kalan
 21. Rewala Khanpur
 22. Chhawla
  23. Kharkhari Nahar 
24. Pindwala Khurd
 25. Kharkhari Rond
 26. Ujwa
 27. Qazipur
 28. Isapur
 29. Dhansa
 30. Malikpurzer Najafgarh
 31. Daryapur Khurd 
32. Hasanpur
 33. Asalatpur Khadar
 34. Daulatpur
 35. Kanganheri
 36. Badusaria
 37. Radhopur
 38. Nanakheri
 39. Jhatikara
 40. Shikarpur
 41. Ghumanhera
42. Jhuljhuli
 43. Ghalibpur
 44. Sarangpur
 45. Raota
 46.Deorala

Najafgarh Drain Basin: Most of the Planning of Zone ‘L’ forms a part of the Najafgarh Drainage basin, which is a sub basin of Yamuna River. The topography of the zone depicts gentle slope from the North to South. The Najafgarh drain originates from Najafgarh Jheel in the South west Delhi- Haryana Border and traverse a length of about 51 kms before joining Yamuna.

Forests: Najafgarh range has 7 protected forests / green areas. Out of these, following protected forests fall in planning ‘L’ zone. 
i) Mitraon – Area about 105 acres. ii) Jainpur - Area about 245 acres, 
both these forests area indicated in the plan . These are proposed to be protected as per the provisions of Forest Act.

Major Existing Campus: Two major institutional campuses related to para Military Forces are existing in the zone. The campus of Border Security Force is located in the Revenue area of village Chhawla where as campus of Central Reserve police Force (CRPF) is located in village Jharoda Kalan. These sites area existing for more than a decade and shall continue to function in near future.

Land use in the following four distinct zones for application of land use control and balanced development. These are follows:

a) Urbanisable Area: Under this category all the broad regional landuse as detailed out in the prescribed Master Plan prepared in consultation with NCRB shall be permitted, e.g. residential, commercial, industrial, government offices, recreational etc. Incase of Delhi, this includes Delhi Urban Area as well as proposed urban extension-2001.

b) Green Belt / Green Wedge: The peripheral agricultural zone in the immediate vicinity of urbanisable area is threatened by expected unauthorized development. A “Green belt / Green Wedge” is proposed with a view to arrest undesirable growth. The major landuses, which are permitted in the category are:
• - Agricultural, particularly high value cash crops. - Gardening
- Dairying.
- Social forestry / plantation.
• - Quarrying.
- Cemeteries
- Social institutions such as hospitals, schools. - Recreational or leisure.
• In case of Delhi, the entire area outside the urbanisable limit falls in the category.

c) ‘Green- buffer’ along the major Transport Corridors: In order to control large scale development along the highways and to check continuous urban development along the major transportation corridors beyond urbanisable limits, a width of 100 mtr. on either side along National Highway & 60 Mtr. on either side along the State Highways, is to be kept as green buffer. Only the activities that are permitted within green belt / green wedge are allowed.

d) Remaining ‘rural land’ includes mainly the vast agricultural land, forest, ridge areas and rural settlements. Following major land uses can be designated, with strict prohibition / control on large scale / hazardous industries.

HIERARCHY OF SETTLEMENTS: Proper road linkages and up gradation of infrastructure is proposed. The objective is to upgrade the net work of social, physical and civic amenities and integrate the same in hierarchical pattern internally among the settlements and also with the adjoining major urban extension projects /urban areas.

TRANSPORTATION: ROAD IMPROVEMENTS: The Plan recommends inter connection and upgradation of existing road corridors as per most guidelines between the proposed growth centres and growth points for improved circulation system. The hierarchy of road network has been proposed for improved functional linkages.

MAJOR ROAD LINKAGES: Following road stretches have been proposed with road right of way of 45 to 60 mtr, with about 15 mtr. Green buffer, on both sides. a) Najafgarh –Mitraon Dhansa.

ROAD UPGRADATION : Following stretches of the roads are proposed for upgradation to 30 to 36 mtr right of way. a) Najafgarh-Jarodakalan. b) Najafgarh –Kharkhari rond-Ghummenhera. c) Raota- Jhuljhuli-Daryapur Khurd Ujwa-Shamaspur. d) Najafgarh- Dindarpur- Daulatpur - Hasanpur . e) Jaffarpur to chhawla- Najafgarh.

BUS TERMINAL/DEPOT: One bus terminal is proposed near the Najafgarh sub-regional centre. Specific area to be identified in the detailed development plan of Najafgarh. Bus depots area proposed in each growth centres i.e. Dhansa, Jaroda Kalan, Chhawla, Ghummenhera.

MRTS: Proposed MRTS corridor from Moti Nagar is to terminate at Najafgarh. The detailed alignment of the same is yet to be worked out. A Depot near Najafgarh is also proposed for MRTS, i.e. storage of equipments etc. The proposal shall be implemented as and when approved by the competent Authority. The plan proposes a dedicated bus route as an extension of MRTS corridor from Najafgarh to Mitraon. The same could be extended upto Dhansa depending on the traffic volume.

PROPOSED EXPRESSWAY: The proposed expressway of 100 mtr. Right of way with (green buffer of 60 mtr. on either side) is proposed in MPD-2001 connecting the metropolitan terminals of Bijwasan (Dwarka Sub –City) to Holambikalan (Narela Sub City) passing through Neelwal, Hajbat Pur, Khaira, Kharkhari Nahar, Pandwala Kalan, Pandwala Khurd, Kangan Heri villages etc.

RAIL IMPROVEMENTS: A railway line from Delhi Cantt. to Rohtak is existing in the North of the zone . Certain warehousing, storage and industrial use zones, are proposed between the railway line and the existing NH 10. In order to serve these requirements, railways may examine the possibility of developing Tikri kalan as one of the centres for loading / un-loading.

CYCLE TRACKS: While the major movement corridors are proposed in the Zonal Plan, provision of dedicated cycle tracks and improvement of existing road surfaces is proposed to encourage the cyclists for short distance travel. Proper landscaping shall further enhance their functional utility.

Shall cover more features in the next post :) 

Freedom

It is once again 15th August, and time to remember that we are free. So let us check how much our freedom meter is this year in 2011 after officially 64 years of independence. What exactly I mean is how much free we are today? Freedom means that I can easily fly through my day and flying shall be easier if I am mentally light weight. And light weight is possible if I am free. Free from the hurt of past, free from the fear of future, free from anger, jealousy and proud.

When we talk about detachment in spirituality and be free, it is actually to be detached from these vices, for our actual freedom we have to get rid of these vices, which chain us up and direct our life in a limited direction. While man is born free and in this world he is here to enjoy all the freedom. And here, it is no outsider who can chain us, as we bound our self in to our self inflicted pain. The chains of bad habits/ vices are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken!!

We like victimization, in order to avoid personal responsibility. Otherwise we have to work on our self and change our earlier belief system and thought cycle. So we give our self the permission to stay in that pain, in that state of fear, anger and other vices. And when we get emotionally addicted to this pain, we are used to this as a stimulant, we feel good with this hurt as a part of life. Even when no body actually hurts us, we go ahead and find such people; we invite them and choose their actions to be perceived as hurt. Accept people and reject pain.

So this 15th August, let us LET GO our deep rooted attachments, attachments to hurt, fear of losing, insecurity, holding tight. If something belongs to you, it belongs to you, don’t hold it inside, otherwise tightness develops and only pain will result. Actually by nature we are a light, free, peaceful soul and nothing belongs to soul, when we were born what did we bring with us, which we are calling ours today. Similarly when we die what we can take with us? It is only our soul which was with us and which shall be there, so let go rest of everything and feel free today to enjoy what ever is here right now in the present with us.

When ever we are holding on to something, a person, place, possession etc, we have turned very mean and greedy because we are bothered about what will happen to me, if you will go? It is all about me and not about you. But little do we realize that detachment brings us even closer to people, as now the soul gets connected to the soul. Practice this art of let go and then we are actually FREE.

This independence day let us take a pledge together to be free from all past hurt, future fear, free from anger, greed, jealousy and proud. Forgiving but remembering the people and the situations of the past. Once our slate is clean, it is ready to create a beautiful present and future of our choice. Happy Independence Day.

Freedom n Boundary

As a small child I remember attending a debate on the topic; “Man is Born Free but everywhere he is in chains”. There was ‘for’ and ‘against’ discussion on this topic. As a child I don’t remember much on the discussion or whether ‘for’ was correct or ‘against’. But this phrase pondered my mind many times at different phases of my life. Let us try and analyze what exactly is freedom and what are these chains or boundaries.

There are few society bound chains on all of us, from our family, education, values, culture etc. These are healthy chains and are actually required for our overall growth and benefits.

But there are few chains which we put ourselves more often than others do. We try to conform to certain ideas, thoughts and when we do so, we are in fact slaves to those ideas and thoughts. Thoughts/Chains of resentment and guilt. These are the two emotions we keep holding. Forgiveness has power. Think about the chains which bound us when we fail to forgive: retaliation, isolation, revenge, retribution, reprisal, vindictiveness. Holding on to resentment calls for maintaining a constant supply of energy to the chains of defensiveness, suspicion, and anger.

Doing so takes up a lot of physical and emotional energy. We nurture our resentments like cherished pets. To be actually free, one has to break free from these chains. Forgiving yourself or someone else for the guilt or mistakes, but it does not mean one gets an opportunity to do the same mistake once again. Rather one should take it as an opportunity to correct oneself and become a better person, this is the best apology for the wrong deeds done in the past.

Freedom is the yearning of every heart. It is the quest of the human spirit. From the beginning of time, man has always searched for freedom in life. It is as if the seed of freedom is planted in the heart and soul. Every adventure of man has been the expression of this freedom; it has been the desire for, or the expression of his state of freedom.

Owning thousands of things doesn’t really make us free. Quite on the contrary, each object we own takes up not just physical but also mental space! And thus creates chains of attachment to materialistic goods. If one has to become truly free to travel in life and also have the internal capacity for creative thinking, declutter your life! This is one of the important ways to become free. Try it out today: Look at your cupboards, shelves and rooms and take note of all the things you hardly use but are still occupying some space. Start by giving these things away, either to relatives, charitable organizations, or to maids, drivers or sweepers, there are enough poor people in this country. It’s simple: The more we give, the lighter we feel from the chains of attachment to goods- and free we are.

“Your freedom ends where my nose begins”- is an old proverb. Our freedom guarantees us to do what is right, but not to throw mud on others or hurt them. Our freedom should not be hindrance in others freedom...freedom does not mean to do whatsoever I feel good, while it means live and let others live. These are the few chains, which we should respect and honor.

One can never truly be free because freedom has a price to pay and the price is giving up some of our freedom. But one can work to be free from all kinds of negative thoughts and emotions like, sorrow, grief, anger, greed and jealousy, as they are all illusions. These emotions are ephemeral. All the beings are bonded due to lack of knowledge but they get free and achieve liberation once they realize that the world is nothing but illusion. One who can surrender to Lord, and free himself form attachments to living and non living objects, can experience freedom. Once we get His unconditional support we gain freedom from fear, worry and despair.

On this independence day let us give off the chains that have bound us to the ordinary. We deserve the best and we shall get the best.