Kohima, Namchi win Top Zonal Smart City Awards

An official announcement revealed that Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, emerged victorious in the MoHUA India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) by securing the best zonal smart city award. Alongside Kohima, Namchi city in Sikkim also achieved recognition as the recipient of the best zonal smart city award.The inception of the Smart Cities Mission took place on June 25, 2015, with the objective of enhancing the fundamental infrastructure, fostering a sustainable and clean environment, and elevating the quality of life for urban residents through the implementation of innovative smart solutions.Described as a transformative initiative, the mission seeks to revolutionise the approach to urban development in the nation. Among the aggregate proposed projects within the Smart Cities Mission, 76 per cent, totalling 6,041 projects amounting to Rs 1106.35 billion, have already been successfully executed. The remaining 24 per cent, consisting of 1,894 projects valued at Rs 600.95 billion, are scheduled for completion by June 30, 2024, as stated in the announcement.The statement also highlighted a significant achievement within the mission—the establishment of Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCC) across all 100 smart cities. These centres operate as the cognitive hub and central nervous system for urban operations, harnessing technology for the effective management of urban areas. This technological integration has led to substantial enhancements in various areas such as crime monitoring, citizen safety and security, transportation administration, waste management, water supply, and disaster response, among others.