Smart city heads, experts discuss PPP, focus-activities

A webinar on March 3 discussed how to build smart and sustainable urban infrastructure delved into the challenges and successes of some of India’s smart cities, opportunities for urban infrastructure industries, especially on the PPP model, and the possibilities to replicate pilot projects across cities. Construction World and Swarajya magazines, as a part of their InfraNirbhar webinar series, recently organised a virtual-platform seminar on ‘Building Smart and Sustainable Urban Infrastructure’, which focused on how Indian cities are innovating their way into cities of the future.

India’s Smart Cities Mission has been offering cities the opportunity to try out new things━data related, concrete, steel, or other. While there have been some decent projects on the ground, the pandemic has had its own impact on several cities' smart plans. Amidst challenges, cities continue to chart achievements and spur opportunities for the private sector. Should PPP be the way forward? Which industries should especially prepare themselves for bigger opportunities in our cities? Analysts, city heads, and private industry heads shared experiences and insights.

Sanjeev Sanyal, Principal Economic Advisor, Government of India, delivered the keynote. Other participants included Raj Cherubal, CEO, Chennai Smart City, Sandeep Mahatme, Director━Urban Development, Agartala, Ramnath Sonawne, Secretary, Maharashtra Water Resource Regulatory Authority, Rajendra Jagtap, Chairman & Managing Director, Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal, S Kirupa Shankar, Head━Safe & Smart Segment, Smart World Communications, L&T, Srikant Vishwanathan, CEO, Janaagraha. Pratap Padode, Editor-in-Chief, Construction World, moderated.

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