The word ‘Smart Cities’ has become buzz word since Narendra Modi swore in as the Prime Minister of the nation. The Union Minister of Urban Development, the very intelligent Venkaiah Naidu is taking the concept deep in to the people. The hype has so much of impact on the people that even the state Chief Ministers are trying their level best to have as many as their cities possible in the 100 cities list.
But the real question is ‘Will people really embrace the concept?’. Smart Cities besides having good infrastructure such as water, sanitation, reliable utility services, healthcare will have very strict rules in places. The people of the smart cities are also expected to be smart and will have to shell hefty fines for mistakes like public littering, not wearing helmets, not adhering to traffic rules, peeing in open areas etc. It has to be seen if the smart concept appeal to people who got used to break the rules and laws. The major challenge to implement this concept is to explain its uses to the informal sector peoples among who literacy levels are low.
