The Government is making massive efforts to
set the ball rolling on the Smart Cities program in India. ULBs are gearing up
and creating SPVs and hiring consultants to make their pitch, and access the
funds. Much seems to be happening in the background. Self-proclaimed
"Smart City Gurus" seem to have sprung out of nowhere, and others are
clamoring to get into the scene. International consultants, IT companies and
Management wallahs have all jumped onto the bandwagon to make Indian cities
"Smart".
But if you ask the man on the street about
"Smart Cities", he will either give you a blank stare or utter
something which is merely an aspect of the concept of Smart Cities. And you
will experience the same reaction when conversing with a qualified Architect,
Urban Planner or Urban Designer. That, or you might end up in an endless,
pointless debate. The point is, in all this brouhaha where does the
common-man-on-the-street fit in? Is he a part of this wave? There has been much
literature on the technology aspects of Smart Cities, and all the
implementation efforts focus around financing and funding. In all this, the
citizens seem to have become the "neglected child" of parents who are
too busy making money.
There is no denying that experts have the
knowledge and know-how, but there should also be no denying that the citizens
are the best source of the 'know-what' and 'know-why'. Smart Cities .... in
fact all cities are for the people. As buildings, streets and transportation do
not make a city (people do), similarly, only ICTs, sensors and apps do not make
a Smart City. Then, aren't we repeating the mistakes of our modernist,
centralized theories of urban planning where a single hand decided the fate of
the multitude?
The absence of public debate and public
participation in the making of Smart Cities in India is alarming. Most of the
discussions and debates take place in the proverbial ivory tower and little
trickles down to the ears of the "Mango People" (aam aadmi).
The Smart Cities initiative is a good
opportunity to engage the citizens in a dialogue around city building and
create awareness. Because an engaged people are a responsible people. The sense
of being counted and mattered will in fact create a sense of stewardship
towards their own cities, and therefore better the chances of the success of
Smart Cities. Otherwise, it simply becomes a an exercise in business creation
and not an exercise in city building. Smart Cities without active public
participation is merely a business creation opportunity (at the expense of
public interest and money).
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