37 consulting firms to prepare Smart City plans for 88 cities

CRISIL, KPMG, McKinsey and Mott MacDonald are among the 37 consulting firms which have been assigned for preparing action plans for the 88 cities proposed to be developed as Smart Cities.

The remaining 10 cities in north-eastern states and Union Territories will appoint consultants by this weekend.

The Urban Development Ministry has announced the names of 98 cities which would be developed into smart cities having core infrastructure needed to enhance urban living.

Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are still to nominate a city each under the smart city development programme.

While KPMG will prepare the action plan for New Delhi Municipal Council area to be developed as a smart city, McKinsey will do it for Pune.

Foreign companies or their Indian associates are working in connection with the preparation of smart city plans for most of the cities, according to a release.

Meanwhile, a two-day 'Ideas Camp' has begun here to prepare these cities for the second stage of the City Challenge competition. 20 Cities will be selected in the first lot through competition to be developed as Smart Cities.

CRISIL Risk and Infrastructure Solutions Limited in association with Pri Move Infrastructure Development Consultants Private Ltd and Probity Soft Private Limited has bagged the contract for six cities followed by Jones Lang La Salle Property Consultants India Pvt Ltd in association with Townland Consultants Pvt Ltd and Tata Consulting Engineers, ICRA Management Consulting Private Limited in association with NJS Engineers India Private Limited and All-India Institute of Local Self-Government for five cities each.

Urban Development Ministry would provide Rs 100 crore to each city over the next five years.

The Centre has set aside Rs 48,000 crore for the Mission and the money will be released to urban local bodies at frequent intervals in the next five years.

The Centre has also asked the state governments to generate the equal matching amount as the grand total of the Smart City Mission is estimated at Rs 96,000 crore.

Quick selection of consultants through tendering by the Mission cities has been enabled by the Ministry of Urban Development drawing up a panel of consultants for each region.