It may not have made it in the first two rounds of shortlist by the ministry of urban development (MoUD) but Gandhinagar has now become the first city in the country to go smart.  

From seamless WiFi connectivity (unlike hotspots planned other cities) to smart sensor-enabled traffic lights that brighten or dim, based on vehicular traffic density, the first phase of the smart city project has been rolled out in the capital city of Gujarat, ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) 2017 by the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC).

The Gandhinagar smart city project also includes services like internet protocol-based surveillance, environment sensors, digital display, speed and face detection traffic management, automatic numberplate recognition, public address system (PAS), citizens’ helpdesk mobile application and a centralised command centre to monitor and control activities on ground. 

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Already, the 66 sq km-wide city has seen 75 per cent of area being covered under WiFi, with the rest to be completed in some months. Under the smart surveillance and traffic management, GMC has installed 210 kinds of closed-circuit television cameras, including speed and face detection, automatic numberplate recognition and general surveillance, which are monitored from the central command centre. 

“Detection of crime would improve in the city and, in case of traffic violations, the traffic police can reach the offenders, based on RTO records,” said Modi. 

Of the 17,000 streetlights across the city, 1,000 have already been equipped with smart sensors, which switch on and off depending on vehicular movement at nights.  These sensors are expected to save 30 per cent energy for the administration. While all streetlights are being changed to light-emitting diodes, Phase 2 will see the remainder 16,000 streetlights being equipped with smart sensors. 

GMC has also installed five digital signage cubes that display public information.  “Installed at major traffic intersections, these cubes will beam videos, ranging from government notification to real-time weather information. This will help GMC earn revenue through commercial displays,” said Modi.