Only 18 of 100 smart cities completed all projects by March 31
Half of these are in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Most projects addressed basic infrastructure gaps rather than creating future-ready cities
India needs ₹70 trillion in urban infra over 15 years
But only ₹1.5 trillion worth of projects were completed till January 2024. The funding gap has limited long-term transformation
Data-based solutions help, but without strong infrastructure, they fall short. Cities must also be made climate-smart and disaster-resilient to reduce future risks
The 2023 Delhi airport roof collapse shows the cost of ignoring climate impact. Urban plans must integrate risk assessments and focus on resilient infrastructure
Most urban local bodies (ULBs) lack financial autonomy. Over 50 per cent generate less than half their revenue on their own. Empowering ULBs is key to better governance
Future growth demands better-funded, implementable city master plans. Without this, India risks fragmented urban expansion and weak service delivery