According to the official data, Gujarat has achieved an impressive milestone in its smart city initiatives, with 72% of projects, valued at over Rs 12,473 crore, successfully completed. The state is currently executing 344 projects, encompassing various developments such as an innovative RFID-based cattle tracker in Ahmedabad, an automated land encroachment prevention system in Vadodara, and the construction of skywalks in Surat.
Six cities in Gujarat, namely Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, and Dahod, are among the 100 cities selected for the Centre’s Smart Cities Mission. Among them, Gandhinagar, the state capital, has the lowest population.
In Gujarat, 281 projects worth Rs 8,963 crore have been completed, while another 63 projects worth Rs 3,510 crore are in various stages of implementation. The funding for these projects mainly comes from the central government, state government, and urban local bodies. Notable projects include the Sursagar Lake redevelopment and Kala Ghoda River bridge widening in Vadodara, as well as the beautification and lighting of bridges such as Sardar Bridge, Ellisbridge, and Nehru Bridge in Ahmedabad.
In terms of project completion, Surat has achieved 92 percent, Vadodara has completed 82 percent, while Ahmedabad and Dahod have completed 74 percent and 67 percent of their projects, respectively. Rajkot and the capital city of Gandhinagar stand out for having a considerably larger number of unfinished projects. If the value of the projects is taken into consideration, it is revealed that 56 percent of the projects in Rajkot, with a total worth of Rs 2,162 crore, are still incomplete. Similarly, in Gandhinagar, 50 percent of the projects worth Rs 1,007 crore are at different stages of implementation.
Dahod, with a population of 26 lakh, recently attracted attention when several structures, including a century-old mosque and temples, were demolished by the Smart City administration to make way for a road widening project, despite objections. Compared to other cities, Dahod is considered less urbanized. The municipal corporations in the other cities already have projects listed under the Smart Cities Mission in their responsibilities.
