Govt devises 20:20 model to help laggard smart cities

24 Feb 2020 CW Team

Under the Smart Cities mission, the Central Government has devised a 20:20 model to pair the cities in the top 20 list with those in the bottom 20 with an aim to boost the laggard cities and help them kick-start their smartening process by borrowing technical know-how and financial studies.

Among the top, Ahmedabad has been paired with Chandigarh (ranking 81st currently); Nagpur (ranking 2nd) has been paired with Port Blair (ranking 96th); Tirupur (ranking 3rd) with Silvassa (ranking 87th); Ranchi (ranking 4th) with Shimla (ranking 92th); Bhopal (ranking 5th) with Aizawl (ranking 82nd); Surat (ranking 6th) with Saharanpur (ranking 91st).

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has reportedly opened a 100-day challenge for the laggard cities to boost their efforts and up their game by the fifth anniversary of the Smart Cities Mission on June 25.

Each of the top 20 cities have been paired with the bottom 20 as ‘sister cities’. Each sister city would be signing a MoU among themselves with aim at improving the ranking of the bottom city. The MoU will reportedly be valid for one year. The top sister cities will be providing access to technical and financial studies, including DPRs, feasibility studies and impact assessments.

The 100 cities selected under the mission have 5,151 projects worth Rs 2,050.18 billion identified so far. About 80 per cent of the 5,151 projects have been tendered so far, with about 60 per cent completed.

Infrastructure Transport

06 Feb 2026

Lucknow Metro East-West Corridor Consultancy Contract Awarded

The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation has awarded the first construction-related consultancy contract for the Lucknow Metro East West Corridor to a joint venture of AYESA Ingenieria Arquitectura SAU and AYESA India Pvt Ltd. The firm was declared the lowest bidder for the Detailed Design Consultant contract for Lucknow Metro Line-2 under Phase 1B and the contract was recommended following the financial bid. The contract is valued at Rs 159.0 million (mn), covering design services for the corridor. Lucknow Metro Line-2 envisages the construction of an 11.165 kilometre corridor connecting Cha..

Div Com Kashmir Urges Fast Tracking Of Jhelum Water Transport Project

The Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir has called for the fast-tracking of the Jhelum water transport project, urging district administrations and relevant agencies to accelerate planning and clearances. In a meeting convened at the divisional headquarters, the commissioner instructed officials from irrigation, public health engineering and municipal departments to prioritise the project and coordinate survey and design work. The directive emphasised removal of administrative bottlenecks and close monitoring to ensure timely mobilisation of resources and contractors. Officials were told to in..

Interarch Reports Strong Q3 And Nine Month Results

Interarch Building Solutions Limited reported unaudited results for the third quarter and nine months ended 31 December 2025, recording strong revenue growth driven by execution and a robust order book. Net revenue for the third quarter rose by 43.7 per cent to Rs 5.225 billion (bn), compared with Rs 3.636 bn a year earlier, reflecting heightened demand in pre-engineered building projects. The company’s total order book as at 31 January 2026 stood at Rs 16.85 bn, supporting near-term visibility. EBITDA excluding other income for the quarter increased by 43.2 per cent to Rs 503 million (mn),..