'India's private sector well positioned to support govt in its Smart city Mission project'

India's private sector, including startups, are well positioned to support the centre and state governments in achieving the Smart City Mission project, Michael Koh, an experienced Singaporean urban designer, has said.

"The Indian private sector and governments are working together to achieve the smart cities mission," said Koh, who is a fellow at the Centre of Liveable Cities (CLC) here.

Presently, the CLC provides advice on urban planning and governance to Andhra Pradesh Government in the development of Amaravati, the planned 217-sq km greenfield capital city of the southern Indian state.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu often brands Amaravati as India's Singapore in the making.

About 200 Indian officials have attended CLC's various capability development programmes over time, of which approximately 100 were from Andhra Pradesh, and the other 100 from the Union Urban Affairs Ministry's Town and Country Planning Organisation.

"We look forward to continue exchanging knowledge between India and Singapore," said Koh on the sidelines of the World Cities Summit-2018 held this week.

The Singaporean government-owned Surbana Jurong, a consultancy company focusing on infrastructure and urban development, had in 2015 submitted the Singapore city masterplan to the Andhra Pradesh government for the development of Amaravati.

The Smart City Mission is the flagship programme of the Indian government to renew and retrofit around 100 cities across the country to make them citizen friendly and sustainable.