How will a city become smart, how will a growing city pick up pace
Indore | Along with being the cleanest city in the country, Indore is also a prominent Tier 2 city. We discussed how to become number one in medical, health, education, and infrastructure, and how to overcome traffic jams as the city grows. Bhaskar discussed these issues with city experts and found solutions to these problems.
- Form a Metro Politan Authority and implement a new master plan.
- Accelerate implementation of mixed development through Transit Oriented Development policy to develop high-rise-high density areas
- There are good opportunities for medical tourism, develop new technology based infrastructure.
- Develop an environment for international university campuses in education, create an ecosystem for multi-faceted innovations in education.
- For smooth traffic movement, the dispersal plan and city logistics plan as decided in the master plan should be implemented.
Traffic: ICCC with AI, work on camera network
Frequent traffic jams on city roads have become a daily problem. Vehicle numbers have steadily increased, speeds have risen, and intersections are increasingly strained. The public wants solutions, but discipline, willpower, and coordinated action are proving to be significant obstacles. Emphasis should be placed on technological solutions. Work on robust AI-based ICCCs, camera networks, and ITMS.
Many cities in the US and Europe have worked towards achieving “Vision Zero,” meaning zero mortality, through data and technology. Indore will also need to implement Vision Zero initiatives using modern platforms (such as Urban SDK), real-time analytics from GPS, mobile data, sensors, and VX2, and digital tunes. Currently, the city has 1.3 million working people, which will increase to 1.9 million by 2030.
Create awareness about medical and health lifestyle diseases
Safe healthcare and facilities have become a major need for cities today. To achieve this, health infrastructure, especially for growing cities, will need to be expanded. A health system based on spot diagnosis, timely identification, and evidence-based treatment will need to be developed. Currently, along with infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases like cancer, pollution-related diseases, and lifestyle diseases are on the rise. Attention must be paid to their control and the development of other modern super-specialty services.
A disease assessment system needs to be developed. Currently, this can be done by integrating artificial intelligence (AI). This can improve screening, treatment, and service systems.
The medical facilities currently available in Indore are sufficient to develop a sector like medical tourism. If this is pursued holistically, Indore could become a model for healthcare in the country.
Infrastructure: Mapping and monitoring of facilities is essential
As Indore expands, its infrastructure is also rapidly expanding. Cities like Bengaluru and Pune currently suffer from the drawbacks of uncontrolled development. This is also their pain point. In Indore, water supply, sewerage, electricity, gas, and stormwater lines are being laid underground. Various public transportation systems, including metro, city bus, and cable car, are being developed. Different departments are involved in these projects, and coordination among them is essential for overall benefit, and monitoring and control mechanisms are needed.
In modern urban development, integrated underground utility mapping and monitoring systems are being adopted for all types of underground services. Indore should also implement this approach, ensuring that all data is geo-referenced and available on a single platform. Another advantage of this system is that it will utilize IoT sensors to monitor leaks, blockages, faults, and illegal connections in real time.
Master Planning: For Expansion
Focus on new master plan
A master plan for the city’s expansion has become necessary. Master planning must be implemented. The investment zone has been expanded to include 79 new villages. A map of the metropolitan area has been prepared. To prevent uncontrolled development, it is essential to implement a new master plan.
To improve the city, it is essential to implement and construct the provisions set out in the Master Plan. For example, the current Master Plan includes 12 major roads.
There are 2 ring roads, their construction is not complete.
New transport hub ready
It was there, but no planning has been done yet.
A traffic dispersal plan needs to be completed. Secondly, along with master planning, fund utilization must also be prioritized. Our focus is on flyovers and metro infrastructure. This is a good idea, but an expansion plan must also be developed to ensure its success.
