Smart cities in the global imaginary: how does Bhubaneswar smart city measure up?
- Vol.20(2), Apr-Jun
- New Delhi Institute of Town Planners 2023
- 53-68p.
This paper examines the progress made in the capital city Odisha through the Smart Cities Mission 2015. Setting the discussion in the global context, major achievements of Bhubaneshwar Smart City are discussed. The author appears to note a few concerns towards the end of the paper. The first concern is about misgivings of the Smart City approach i.e., the entrenchment of elitist “enclave urbanism” because of the Area-Based Development which is a central requirement of the Mission. The second concern is the potential exclusion of groups without adequate access to technology. It is held that the most vulnerable groups in the city must be reached out by other means. The diversion of funds and attention away from elected municipal bodies and possible dilution of the support they require for effective use of ICT is the third concern.