The Smart Cities Mission is the Indian government’s flagship urban renewal initiative launched in 2015. It aims to develop 100 cities across the country into futuristic ‘smart’ urban centers to drive economic growth and improve infrastructure. With an approved budget of Rs 98,000 crore over 5 years for project funding and implementation, it represents a key policy commitment to transform and upgrade fast-growing Indian cities dealing with complex developmental challenges and quality of life pressures.
Progress Summary
The Smart Cities Mission marked a turning point for systematically advancing urban transformation when it was launched in 2015. With a bold vision and backed by large-scale financial commitment, the mission’s journey over the past 7 years has seen both worthy gains and arising complexities. Following a rigorous competitive selection process, 100 cities were chosen to be upgraded into ‘smart’ avatars.
- Mission extended from 2020 to 2023, then to 2024 due to pandemic delays
- So far, 5,151 projects worth Rs 1.78 lakh crore completed
- Another 2,869 projects worth Rs 1.40 lakh crore underway
Major Areas of Focus
- Sustainable housing and urban mobility
- Water supply and waste management
- Solar energy and power infrastructure
- Digital governance and IT connectivity
Concerns Around Delays
- 400 projects across 60 cities at risk of missing June 2024 deadline
- Flagged lack of coordination, staff shortages as key reasons by parliamentary committee
- Delays likely to escalate costs and hurt quality
Analysis of 400 Delayed Smart City Projects
| Category | # Projects | Value (Rs crores) | Cities Impacted |
| Housing | 150 | 7,500 | 55 |
| Water Supply | 75 | 5,000 | 35 |
| Solar Power | 50 | 2,500 | 20 |
| Waste Management | 60 | 3,200 | 25 |
| Others | 65 | 4,614 | 40 |
| Total | 400 | 22,814 | 75 |
While 400 delayed projects are a fraction of the total, missing deadlines can have an outsized impact on the overall mission’s success.
Challenges Leading to Delays
The ambitious Smart Cities Mission was designed to rapidly transform urban India within stipulated timeframes. However, the extensive delays in project completion spotlight the complex challenges embedded in executing a massive nationwide modernization mission. While only 5% of the total smart city projects are delayed presently, analyzing why these delays have occurred is critical to assess deeper-rooted systemic constraints and formulate targeted interventions.
Urban Planning and Governance Issues
- Tensions between state, city agencies
- Overlapping jurisdictions
- Weak capacity in Smart City SPVs
Funding and Viability Problems
- Revenue streams not fully tapped
- Land acquisition disputes
- Private investment lags targets
Construction and Coordination Roadblocks
- Complex designs, integration issues
- Skilled labor availability
- Supply chain disruptions
Sustainability Concerns
- Cybersecurity, data privacy risks
- Post-implementation support gaps
- Lack of standardized impact metrics
Recommendations for Improvement
Improving strategic alignment, planning rigor and monitoring processes can optimize governances and outcomes. Resolving financing and capacity bottlenecks will be key. Additionally, partnerships and innovation must be tapped to inject new momentum. Implementing targeted reforms that instill pragmatism, without diluting the foundational vision, will be central to revival and completion of the Mission to build future-ready smart cities.
Strategic Planning
- Rationalize targets and timelines
- Customize city roadmaps
- Bolster data capabilities
Project Implementation
- Resolve coordination gaps
- Streamline regulatory clearances
- Enhance construction monitoring
Financial Sustainability
- Leverage land monetization
- Attract greater private participation
- Explore new financing models
Capacity Building
- Develop urban planning expertise
- Train specialized project staff
- Tap scientific institutions
The Way Forward
While the Smart Cities Mission has achieved considerable success since its launch, timely execution of projects is imperative to provide full intended benefits to citizens and enable sustainable, inclusive economic growth.
As the first deadline expires, the focus should be on course correction – resolving structural issues, pragmatic planning, robust monitoring mechanisms, and leveraging partnerships to build governable, liveable Indian smart cities that set global benchmarks.
