Issue 1

October 2016

The feature article of this

edition of the newsletter is
What is a Smart City?.
Also, check the latest news,
opinions, innovations, of
the sector, later in the
newsletter.

INFRA
newsletter
What is a Smart City?
by Abhinav Gupta, Aparna Pande
On the banks of Indus, about 5000 years ago, a civilization thrived. They had towns with
well-constructed living quarters, a wonderful drainage system, with buildings constructed
using both baked and unbaked bricks and broad roads which cut each other at right angles.
The buildings were multi storied, with bathrooms on upper floors and air ducts to keep the
buildings ventilated. They had galleries with fountains, dams and reservoirs to store water.
Needless to say, their place of worship was a well. This reverence for water, helped them
survive damaging floods and extremely hot conditions of the desert. Their water
management was the skill which kept their civilization alive for centuries in a place like
Rajasthan, where life is very difficult even in the modern times. Were they SMART?
Smarter than us?

Abhinav Gupta
Aparna Pande
Ayush Agarwal
Shivam Mahajan
INFRA Cell
Indian Institute of
Foreign Trade, Delhi

So, the question is What are Smart cities? Honestly, we dont know. But actually no one does. There are hundred
definitions of what a smart city might mean. It has been seen with different perspectives, by different people. The term was
first used in the 1990s. At that time, the focus was on the significance of new Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) with regard to modern infrastructures within cities. The California Institute for Smart Communities was among the
first to focus on how communities could become smart and how a city could be designed to implement information
technologies (Alawadhi et al., 2012). Harrison et al. (2010), in an IBM corporate document, stated that the term smart city

denotes an instrumented, interconnected and intelligent city. Instrumented refers to the capability of capturing and
integrating live real-world data through the use of sensors, meters, appliances, personal devices, and other similar sensors.
Interconnected means the integration of these data into a computing platform that allows the communication of such
information among the various city services. Intelligent refers to the inclusion of complex analytics, modelling,
optimization, and visualization services to make better operational decisions (Harrison et al., 2010).
Center of Governance at the University of Ottawa started criticizing the idea of smart cities as being too technically oriented.
In this reading, the smart city should have a strong governance-oriented approach which emphasizes the role of social capital
and relations in urban development. Smart communities are not, at their core, exercises in the deployment and use of
technology, but in the promotion of economic development, job growth, and an increased quality of life. In other words,
technological propagation of smart communities isnt an end in itself, but only a means to reinventing cities for a new
economy and society with clear and compelling community benefit. (Smart) cities as territories with high capacity for
learning and innovation, which is built-in the creativity of their population, their institutions of knowledge creation, and
their digital infrastructure for communication and knowledge management.
Based on a survey of existing literature we found out some features of smart cities, as projected by experts. Based on which
we would like to hazard a guess on what smart cities might be. Sustainable, green and integrated cities, with a promising
mix of human, social, entrepreneurial and infrastructural capital, using Information and Communication Technology as
well innovative systems of participatory governance and competitive commerce to enhance the quality of life for all the
residents of the city, are called smart cities. The above definition is an amalgamation of the various definitions, proposed
at different points of time to address the evolving concept of smart cities.

WHOS WHO OF THE SMART CITIES

SINGAPORE
Claim to Fame: Transit Oriented Development (TOD)
The purpose of TOD is to develop the community's
Transport Station Areas into pedestrian-oriented
spaces, with convenient access to rail transit,
shopping, employment, housing, and neighborhood
retail services. The goal of each Transport Station
Area is to encourage an efficient, compact land use
pattern; increase pedestrian activity; and reduce the
reliance on private automobiles. TOD has been an
integral part of Singapores development plan since
1971. Being a city state country Singapore struggled
with scarcity of land, high population density and
lack of natural resources to ensure. It envisioned the
development of a ring of new high-density satellite
towns around the central area, with each town
separated by green spaces and open spaces. Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system was then proposed to connect the population
centers to the city and the Industrial zone at the west, which then formed the base for TOD planning in Singapore. The city
was planned in four levels namely urban cores, regional centers, sub centers and peripheral new towns. The implementation
of TOD has led to the decentralization of population and housing development, and the centralization of employment. Over
the last four decades the population of Singapore has been distributed across many compact residential areas, along mass
transit lines.

CHANDIGARH
Claim to fame: Sectors
Chandigarh has the distinction of being the first planned city in India.
But, this isnt what makes it special. Its attraction lies in its
understanding and appreciation of the living habits of its people.
Keeping in view the same, high rise buildings were ruled out. To further
increase convenience, the city was divided into neighborhoods called
sectors. Each sector is a self-sufficient unit - having shops, schools,
work- centers and places of recreation. Facilities like hospitals are
shared among adjacent sectors. It also boasts a hierarchy of open green
spaces, which add to its environment aesthetic. The open green spaces
of each sector are inter-linked, to create a larger array of green space,
often referred to as lungs of the city.

FUJISAWA, JAPAN
Claim to fame: The future is here!
While other smart giants were busy investing in their
infrastructure, this little town spent time dreaming of making life
worth living even a hundred years hence. It is presently in the
process of building a city of 1,000 smart households. With a little
more than 300 households done, it is attempting not just to create
a state of the art city, but a place with more futuristic lifestyles.
It looks forward to creating an urban settlement which sustains
itself on local production. With environment and nature being an
essential part of its design, the city aspires to build a sustainable
environment around its green spaces. The design of the city
governance will be one which will take constant feedback from
the residents, and the modify itself to suit their needs. Actual
lifestyle-based innovative systems will continue to bring energy in every aspect of peoples lives in terms of energy, security,
mobility, wellness and communities. Though the project is still in the stage of implementation, we see in it the promise for
the future. It sets the tone, for the habitat of the future.

WHY DO WE NEED THEM?

Many of the readers will reasonably be expected to question, whether we really need these cities, which are expensive to
build and maintain, and have constant need for up-gradation and maintenance. In its defense a smart city would say that it
is magnet which attracts the best in class talent from various places. It creates and sustains new technology, systems of
governance, societies and enterprise. It also attracts tourists from around the world. Another dimension, is the civic pride
that a smart city generates among its residents. This sense of ownership is the life and soul of a city. To put it clearly, a
smart city is just another settlement which thrives on and expresses itself, through its communities.

Latest News
1. Highways to double up as airstrips
Road Transport and Highways Ministry is
working on a proposal with Ministry of Defence
to construct runways on highway stretches and 22
such spots have been identified across the
country. Mr Gadkari said his ministry is shortly
going to convene a meeting with the Defence
Ministry to firm up the proposal. According to an
official, a committee comprising officials of both
ministries has been constituted to come out with
specifications of such highway stretches which
can double up as airstrips.
http://bit.ly/2ebqwXa
2. Unused Railways Buildings To Turn Into
Warehouses For E-Commerce Cos
The railway ministry is working on a scheme to
lease out its abandoned buildings and spaces near
railway stations to retailers. The move can help
the railways become an end-to-end logistics
provider and monetize its real estate, and reduce
the delivery time for e-commerce companies as
their warehouses and pickup points are mostly on
the periphery of big cities.
http://bit.ly/2fOtm4H
3. Indian Exporters Get A Gift Of Convenience
In a first, the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor
Development Corporation (DMICDC) has tied up
with Japans NEC Corporation to provide
logistics support to Indian exporters. Using this
service, an exporter can track on a real-time basis
the movement of his container by rail or road
from a goods depot until the final loading at the
JNPT port all for a paltry sum of R125 per
container.
http://bit.ly/2epbSa6
4. Kelloggs New Home Showcases Sustainable
Design
Kellogg School of Management is all set to come
up with its state-of-the-art Global Hub which will
be one of Northwesterns most environmentally
friendly buildings. The "green" features of the
building include a geothermal system for heating
and cooling and one of the largest installations of
LED lights in the country, apart from others like
triple-glazed windows for more efficient heating
and cooling, automated window shades
programmed for sun and shade control and lowflow plumbing fixtures to conserve water.
http://bit.ly/2fqnLyZ
5. Infra Biggies Line Up To Modernise Indian
Railway Stations

In phase I, the railways has lined up eight stations

across the country to be redeveloped and the
bidding process for two stations in Delhi and
NCR region has already been rolled out.
Infrastructure firms like GMR Highways, Essel
Infraprojects, IRB Infrastructure, Shapoorji
Pallonji & company, Bharti Realty and IL & FS
Township & Urban Assets plan to invest in the
ambitious Indian Railways plan to redevelop
major railway stations into world class terminals
under the public private partnership model.
http://bit.ly/2fokBOo
6. Pune To Get New Airport, And Hopefully New
Monies With It!
Infrastructure development in the form of
modern, international standard airports positively
impacts a citys long term development and
economy as has been seen in cities like
Hyderabad and Bangalore. Now, Pune is ready to
welcome its international airport in its southern
periphery near Purandar. Read more to find out
the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
http://bit.ly/2epjV6w
7. Russian Investment In Indias Infrastructure
Russia is set to invest $1 billion in Indias
infrastructure space through the National
Infrastructure and Investment Fund (NIIF). The
move has given a shot in the arm to the efforts of
the vehicle setup by the government to garner
funds to boost infrastructure spending in the
country.
http://bit.ly/2fOyZzV
Innovation and Future Trends
8. Country Digitization Leads Cisco And World
Into New Era
Connecting the unconnected, accelerating GDP
growth, creating new jobs in the Digital Age, and
building a sustainable innovation ecosystem are
the core principles that drive and define
digitization, according to Cisco Global
Innovation Officer Guy Diedrich. He talks about
Ciscos Country Digitization Acceleration
(CDA) strategy, aimed at driving digital
disruption across entire countries using Ciscos
proven digitization process.
http://bit.ly/2cTojyg
9. Floating Bus Stops Help Keep Bike Riders
Safe
In an effort towards the peaceful existence of
buses and bikes on the road, a design solution

known as the floating bus stop is gaining

attention in U.S. cities. In this design, the bus
stops at a raised concrete island, while the bike
lane veers to the opposite side of the island. The
bike lane flows gently and seamlessly in and out
of this protected area. This design, along with its
intelligible variations, hold significant potential
towards making our roads safer and our cities
smarter.
http://bit.ly/2epj4mu
10. A hyperconnected, transnational city along the
US-Mexico Border
Amidst the proclamations by certain politicians
of building walls, Mexican architect Fernando
Romero has actually designed a master plan for a
walkable, super-connected metropolis straddling
the U.S.-Mexico border.
http://bit.ly/2epey7s
11. Construction Robots To Build Google
California Headquarters
Robotics and automation will soon drive the large
scale construction industry. Drones are being
used to get a birds-eye view of the construction
site, receive progress reports and speed up the
logistics of the construction by monitoring
deliveries. Robot-crane hybrids are to build
Googles proposed California headquarters. Also
known as crabots, these machines will be used
to build most of its internal structures.
http://bit.ly/2duJaHF
12. Visualizations To Help Identify Challenges
Faced By Cities
Hundreds of journalists, students, and researchers
around the globe submitted mapping projects at
the recently concluded Habitat III conference in
Quito; presenting interactive and innovative maps
of cities, ranging from those based on
urbanization through conflict related migration to
those on racial segregation. The entries
showcased how science, data and visualizations
can aid urban planning in the 21st century.
http://bit.ly/2eplaTu
13. 8 Real Estate Startups to Watch Out For
The latest real estate tech startups infuse the
industry with much needed innovation, allowing
for more creative solutions when it comes to data
sharing, project management and even funding.
From property listing and lease management to
crowdfunding and even virtual viewing, here are
some of the startups having the biggest impact on
the real estate market today.
http://bit.ly/2fopoz2

Reports and Opinions

14. Can Public Transport Be Privatized?
The advent of shared transit options by private
players like Lyft, Ola Share, Uber Pool, Shuttl to
name a few has led many to believe that public
transport might be in for a major revolution.
Consumers are beginning to explore these new
options, and also taking a liking to them primarily
because of time and cost saving as well as
increased convenience. Also, these modern travel
options have the potential to be incorporated
within the larger smart city concept.
http://bit.ly/2ebulvn
15. Realizing India's Aviation Potential
Air transport contributes enormous value to India,
stimulating growth and development with
increasingly accessible air connectivity. Indias
air transport industry has been through tough
times. While many Indian airlines are now
posting profits, the sector is still in loss territory
with many challenges. These include a massive
debt burden, onerous regulations, expensive
airport infrastructure and high taxes. Addressing
these will bring huge social and economic
benefits to India.
http://bit.ly/2efGgXY
16. Chinas Structural Transformation Towards
Urbanization
In the aftermath of the 2008 economic recession,
China changed gears and made efforts to
accelerate its economic rebalancing by shifting its
growth drivers from manufacturing and exports
toward domestic goods and services. This new
model is much more taxing on Chinas current
economic-governance system, and the situation
can be eased through acceleration of urbanization
and expansion of metropolitan areas geared
toward the needs of services-led economic
growth.
http://bit.ly/2fOBylo
17. Enhancing India's PPP model could boost
infra investment: Moodys
India's PPP framework will benefit if it is
developed further to address key issues regarding
improved risk allocation, ability to renegotiate
unpredictable factors in the bid documents. More
developed PPP markets, such as in the UK,
Canada and Australia, use both availabilitypayment and demand risk models, and relatively
standardised bid documents - features that could
address some of the bottlenecks in the Indian
framework.
http://bit.ly/2epfQiK