Pune Municipal Commissioner Kunal Kumar, one of the key persons driving the citizens’ involvement effort, speaks to Alka Kshirsagar about the mission to transform the city. Excerpts:

How was the ‘smart city’ pitch prepared?

There was no template. Citizens set their own ambitions for the city and voted to prioritise project. Drawing up the vision document for the plan involved collaboration among the city’s administrative machinery, NGOs, private companies, educational institutions and the media.

What vision emerged from the citizens’ engagement exercise?

Pune aspires to be one of the most liveable cities in the country by solving core infrastructural issues in a future-proof way. It wants neighbourhoods to be clean, green and beautiful.

T he pilot project covers less than 1.5% of Pune’s land area. What about the rest of the city?

We’ll start the process of looking at other areas in the third year. In the next 10-15 years, we should be able to take it across the entire city.

What hurdles could crop up along the way?

This is a completely new concept that calls for a total change in mindset in political, administrative and citizen conduct. (Unfortunately), there is no pill for behaviour change. With big dreams come big responsibilities; everyone has to shoulder it and take ownership for the long term.

Read: Gilding the lily: ‘misplaced priorities’ rankle

Click here to read about other Smart Cities

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW