How Mangaluru is preparing to meet Smart City challenge


Florine Roche
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Sep 30: When Mangaluru made it to the shortlist of top 98 smart cities under the proposed flagship programme of smart cities mission of the NDA government there was euphoria all around. The common perception was that Mangaluru had already made it to the list smart cities while the reality is completely different. In fact Mangaluru has only made it to the elite group of 98 cities which is the first step towards qualifying to become a Smart City.

Now it is a do or die situation for Mangaluru to make it to the list of top 20 cities from all over India to be identified for the first phase of the Smart City mission. This is quite a challenging and cumbersome task as the city has to fulfil certain guidelines laid down by the union government and that too within a specified time. As there is very little time to carry out the various tasks of preparing explicit documents of Smart City proposals to make it to the list 20 coveted list of ‘smart cities’, the challenge is all the more demanding.

Having realised the gravity of situation and the urgency with which the work needs to be done to meet the various deadlines with very little time on hand a Smart City Mangaluru – Team MCC has been set up which is working overtime to channelize diverse thought process in one direction. A separate team comprising city governing council, city mentors, patrons, advisors, consultants and various stakeholders has been set up which is working round the clock to create necessary Smart City proposals within the time given. CREDAI Mangaluru chapter would act as the umbrella body for channelizing all thought process of various organisations and committees which will be handed over to the city corporation as a single document.


Opportunity for Mangaluru

Six cities in Karnataka have made it to the list of 98 including Mangaluru namely Belagavi, Shivamogga, Hubballi-Dharwad, Tumakuru and Davanagere. The selection of the 98 cities was done through a very transparent process of intra-city competition evaluated on the basis various parameters such as service levels institutional and financial capacity, past track record, available infrastructure and reforms. In other words the selected cities should possess the capacity to achieve the objective of Smart City mission. With Mysuru and Bengaluru failing to qualify for the first stage Mangaluru stands a chance if it is able to pull its act together and come out proposals, plans, vision documents and other requirements within the stipulated time frame. But then Mangaluru will have to compete with other Tier I cities and state capitals which will be quite a challenging task. The entire selection process will be transparent handled by a professional team where no other parameters except merit will be considered.

While metro cities state capitals enjoy the distinct advantage due to the prevalent infrastructure and more economic activity, Mangaluru which is only a Tier II city requires tremendous efforts to fast track the trajectory of economic activities in the form of documents to make it to the list of top 20. However, it cannot be denied that Mangaluru enjoys the distinct advantage of being the ‘intellectual capital’ with rich social and cultural background and given an opportunity has all the potential to metamorphose into a global city . Being a small city, which can be easily manageable in terms of population and size, Mangaluru has everything to qualify to be a Smart City.


What Smart City entails

Once the Smart City proposal (SC) is submitted for Smart City challenge the city selected will get a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to implement the Smart City proposal. This SPV will be promoted by state and Urban Local Bodies with 50:50 equity shareholdings. If selected a Smart City would get Rs 100 crores per year from the central government for over a period of five years and an equal amount from the state government towards equity share in SPV and for five years the total investment will be to the tune of Rs 1000 crores. But smart cities don’t have to depend only on the funding of the government. Additional funds or investment will have to be provided by ULB through increased user fee, beneficiary fees, land monetisation and also by attracting private sector investment as a result of increased economic activity.

Mangaluru should pitch in for a Smart City because a Smart City will be a fertile ground for all economic activity, which in turn would give a big push for the comprehensive development of the city. In a Smart City the spotlight would be on economy, mobility, governance, citizen participation, concern for environment and living. In addition to this, a smart will be credibly safe, clean and green, economically strong and culturally vibrant that would make way for social, cultural and economic sustainability. A Smart City will definitely means better infrastructure and amenities and will be an ideal place to live work and visit.


Smart City Proposal

The most important challenge for all those involved in the onerous task of ensuring Mangaluru’s inclusion in the list of 20 cities is preparing the Smart City Proposal (SCP) for fulfilling the Smart City challenge. The deadline for submitting draft and SCP is November 27, 2015. SCP has to include city profile, citizen participation, vision and sub goals, strategic plan, PAN city proposal, area based proposal, implementation frame work, financial plan, benefits and impacts and process and team work. This entails tremendous efforts because SCP also has to include the 24 features that encompass a Smart City. All the relevant documents required have to be submitted online and the process if completely transparent and therefore there is no room for manipulation or pressure tactics to work in favour of any city.

While the arduous task of preparing city profile and other proposals has been shouldered by various teams who are already at work ensuring citizen participation is quite a challenge for all those involved in these efforts to ensure public participation, which is quite crucial and essential in the entire scheme of things, the think-tank, various committees and multi-media professionals are working continuously to come out with creative and catchy hoardings, posters, banners, pamphlets, paper insertions and electronic media campaigns and social media promos. About 100 hoardings are planned to be mounted at various strategic places out of which 30 hoardings are already erected.


Vision Statement invited

Drafting a vision statement is crucial for preparing SCP because it forms the basis on which the entire plan document of supporting the Smart City vision and viability has to be shaped. To ensure public participation a Smart City vision statement competition has been organized wherein the public are invited to send their vision statement and can walk away with a cash prize of Rs 1 lac for the best selected vision statement. The vision statement should be of 50 words along with a description of about 250 words explaining the vision statement relating specifically to the city’s profile. A statement of about 250 words should also accompany the vision statement giving details of the economic, social, environmental and spatial components of the city. A descriptive note of about 250 words should also be part of the vision statement summarizing the impact of key aspects like main economic activity, sustainability and inclusiveness.

If no vision statement gets selected for the top cash prize, top 3 chosen vision statements will win a cash price of Rs 25,000 each. Subsequently, based on the vision statement, a logo with a tagline will be created to symbolize the true character of Mangaluru and the various hues of its cultural diversity.

The last date to submit the vision statements is October 5, 2015. Citizens can drop their vision statement with contact details at the various drop boxes kept at Corporation office Lalbagh, Kadri and Surathkal and at Bharat Mall, City Mall and Forum Fiza Mall. Vision statements can also be sent to smartmangaluru@gmail.com or tweet@smartcitymangaluru. They can also log on to www.mygov.in and interact and give suggestions. They can also log on to facebook.com/smartcitymangaluru for more details.

Having already made it to the list of 98, Mangaluru now has to rise to the challenging task of making it to the list of 20 cities to be chosen in the first phase of the of the Smart City mission flagship programme. While MCC and other teams have woken up to take up the challenge it is now the responsibility of the citizens of this city to rise to the occasion and extend their wholehearted cooperation and participation and contribute in their own way to ensure Mangaluru gets included in the coveted list of 20 smart cities in the first phase itself.

  

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Comment on this article

  • KUMAR, MANGALORE

    Tue, Nov 10 2015

    SMART CITY - RS 1LAKH SCAM - NO WINNERS ANNOUNCED YET
    SMART CITY - OVERSMART MANAGEMENT

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • dilip n moolya, soorinje

    Fri, Oct 02 2015

    Our honerable PM Narendra modi's dream of 100 smart city will be fulfilled if our MP,CM and other ministers transform entire fund into a real development.

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Gurudath, M'lore/Mumbai

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    My gut feeling is that among the 6 cities in Karnataka Mangalore stands the best chance. It has a more than a chance to qualify to the top 20 even if you consider other cities in India.

    DisAgree [10] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dylan, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Congratulations M'lore......!!! The Government first should discontinue the city bus mafia (private buses). They automatically M'lore will turn to become Smartest CITY.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • ADIL, Dubai

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    My opinion is mangaluru people are smart people, and our mangaluru is already developed by people only. We need communal harmony in both mangaluru and udupi.
    And after that street lights, drinking water, good roads, 24H patrolling police, traffic police to control speedy & drunken driving.
    Express buses should have speed limit, which always cause for accidents.
    Street beggars should be rehabilitated and they should be under some shelter.
    Food safety department should always check food quality & cleanliness in restaurant & hotels.
    Moreover there will be public meeting for people & any decisions taken should be after discussions.
    Thanks for reading...

    DisAgree Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • Flavian, Mangaluru/Kuwait

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Dr. T.A.A.Koshy, vas lane mangalore
    Exactly.
    That is called visionary thought for the benefit of own-self and to entire country.
    Our government should follow China's principles and way of controlling the population (exploding) growth. The irony is if adopted such a step, the opposition will meddle with undue propaganda. Such is the fate of our political power. Use for nothing.
    Only military rule can solve the problem.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • dR. T.A.A.Koshy, vas lane mangalore

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    What India needs is cleaner cities and not 'smart cities'.For that we have to stabilise our population growth. With the present rate of growth India will have around 3 billion people to feed and shelter by 2040.Will digital india be able to provide food ?It is high time people did some thing to stabilize our population growth .

    DisAgree [2] Agree [31] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rudolf Rodrigues, Mumbai

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Over and above that all paddy and vegetable/fruit growing fields in DK have been converted to areca and rubber plantations due to the bumper profits that it gives hence price of eatables are going up everyday, and in few years we will have to eat and drink areca juice!! Farmers should be immediately encouraged to take food item cultivation by giving them better remuneration and prevent them from converting remaining fertile land to areca and rubber plantations!!

    DisAgree Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Hubert D'souza, Mangalore Dubai

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    ಚರಂಡಿ ಅಭಿವ್ರದ್ದಿಗಾಗಿ Municipality Have Taken Money From Us , Where They Done Developments?? Where Gone Money, In 100 Crores What Kind Of Smart City They Will Do????

    DisAgree [2] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sandy, Udupi

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Smart city, what crap! All the contractors, real estate fellows and bureaucrats must be salivating at the 100crores/year prospect!

    DisAgree [1] Agree [28] Reply Report Abuse

  • prem, moodbidri

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Undu yenklen charandigu paaduna yojane swami.

    Only landlords, builders & real estate brokers (along with Politicians & Govt officials) will be benefited from this. Common man like us, will live & die as common man only.

    DisAgree Agree [24] Reply Report Abuse

  • DW, MUMBAI

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Smart People to make it a smart City & Not Smart Idiots.

    DisAgree Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • Flavian, Mangaluru/Kuwait

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    In a smart City there could be lot's of dirty guys to erase the good name of Mangalore. That should be corrected first.

    DisAgree Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • Af,, Mangaluru

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    People do not expect a sudden change like we will get beautiful roads, 100% drainage system, free foot path, over head bridges, skywalk etc,etc from smart city program.
    when municipality purchase a multi lakh worth dust cleaning machine(vehicle) in around city roads but we have never seen this machine cleaning any road and free from dust.

    this is nothing but money eating programe for officials and politicians.

    DisAgree Agree [31] Reply Report Abuse

  • Nithin Devang, Pune

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Its time to unitedly fight for a state of TuluNadu. A small state is easy to develop. For the smartness Mangaloreans have we can easily plan a city like Hongkong and Singapore in 20 years.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • FAB, AUD

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Nothing's impossible.
    The word itself says it " I'M POSSIBLE "

    DisAgree [1] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Kumar, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    If the already sanctioned very busy road between Mannagudda and Balaji Talkies is rotting in such a condition for such a long time, then how come we think of calling Mangalore even a city?

    DisAgree Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    I can see only one odd Man ...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Joseph F. Gonsalves, Bannur, Puttur / Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Mangalore is developed fast in the SEZ and the BJP has given a new name Smart City and this news is a big boosting income for the real estates.

    Loss of the residents, more people more infrastructure, loss of ones land and property to corporates.


    Is there any plans to convert the hunger for areca-nut to paddy or wheat producing ideas.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shankar, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Preparations are at full swing.
    Just a day before police evacuated ladies from a party!!

    DisAgree [7] Agree [29] Reply Report Abuse

  • Hussain, Abudhabi

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Mangalore becomes smart city in spite of immoral Rowdyism will be a MIRACLE

    DisAgree [4] Agree [32] Reply Report Abuse

  • KRPrabhu, B'luru

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Stop Yettinahole,otherwise smart city will not have sufficient drinking water in summer.So let us become smart and stop people anti Yettinahole project.......

    DisAgree [1] Agree [24] Reply Report Abuse

  • prem, moodbidri

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Educate uncivilized, indecent, narrow minded Immoral Rowdies and make them civilized human beings. If they can’t be changed, throw them to Arabian Sea. As long as city has Fools in big numbers, how city can become Smart?

    DisAgree [3] Agree [39] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shaan, Ksa

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Simple waste of money.. Where there is no communal harmony,what development will come? Each&everyday strikes, baandh are going on, before investing better to think once or in the name of smart city concerned authority people pocket will become SMART

    DisAgree [6] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Subbaraman, Mumbai /Kerala

    Mon, Oct 05 2015

    It is better than Kerala in terms of "Bandh, Strike, Hartal etc.etc.,

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Antony D'Cunha, Permude/Muscat

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Nice reporting. To achieve the goal in limited time frame and qualify for the smart city status will be the real challenge. Inclusive participation by the citizens is need of the hour and that will help to generate results. This is a great opportunity for Mangaluru to achieve global recognition.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sachin Krishnappa, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Mangalore is good city, compare to other city mangalore is really beautiful city but in mangalore district need some more business company and more business asset need for develop city, if more business company come means mangalore people get good jobs,mangalore making smart city during please concentrate invite to big standard company to invest mangalore so mangalorean getting good jobs also

    DisAgree [2] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jai Sri Ram, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    ಮಂಗ್ಳೂರು-ಬೆಂಗ್ಳೂರು ಗ್ಯಾಸ್‌ ಪೈಪ್‌ಗೆ "ಗ್ರೀನ್‌' ಸಿಗ್ನಲ್‌
    Good News to Mangaloreans as Mangalore is gearing up to submit the proposal for Smart City Challenge.

    During this hustle and bustle, somethings are taken away by corporte bodies and MP's and MLA's. One of the programme is to lay gas pipeline from Mangalore to Bangalore as disclosed in local news paper udayavani. By doing this Bangalore will get piped gas facility for each individual houses wereas Mangaloreans will still carry out their daily living on borrowed gas or forest wood. Is it not the state govt. deprive the rights of Mangaloreans to get piped gas for every house, for the sacrifice and effort they have put to implement MRPL project. It's right time Mangaloreans to stand together to fight against the Gas Pipeline project till such time that Mangaloreans will get their piped as facility to every house before mvoing the excess gas to other parts of the city. Wake up Mangaloreans and fight for your rights.

    Jai Hind.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • John Tauro, M'luru / Kwt

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Besides Gas Pipeline to Bangalore, the diversion of Nethravati River will also pose a big challenge to Mangalore before it becomes a Smart City. With increasing population and industrial development, there is every possibility of the City facing acute water shortage, in addition to ecological damage, if the Yettinahole Project is allowed to be implemented.

    DisAgree Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rudolf, Mumbai

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Reportedly water will also be supplied to Bangalore for industrial use, thanks to the powerful industrial/commercial lobby there! Definitely Mangluru will suffer from severe scarcity of water if the Y project is implemented!!

    DisAgree Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jai Sri Ram, Mangalore

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    We all know the consequences of the so called upcoming mega projects. It's not in the interest of people of D.K. Instead of fighting among ourself in the name of religion, caste & immoral policing we all should unite to fight against mega developments taking away our rights and necessities. A lot of citizens suffered huge losses during the MRPL project setup. Probably those people might have thought by giving away for such development a lot of people from Mangalore will get jobs, city will prosper and develop and we will get necessary Gas from MRPL. But it's all going to be a dream when pipeline is laid to Bangalore and probably later to Chennai and other parts. We are not against pipeline plan. Our grievance is that first provide proper gas facility to Mangaloreans and other parts of the state should be secondary. We struggle to buy a gas cylinder, while whole gas is supplied to other parts of the state. This is not fair. As Rudolf rightly said together with Gas pipeline water also might get another pipeline.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [10] Report Abuse

  • Aliyanka, Udupi

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    This 1000 crores will be like a . If you add few malls or apartments put together in Mangalore will be worth that much.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • DW, MUMBAI

    Wed, Sep 30 2015

    Only 50 Crores will go for development rest 950 Crores will go to the place of no return & then an agenda will be made for its return LOL

    DisAgree Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse


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