Many countries around the world have opted for setting up smart cities as a solution to their specific problems. India might perhaps be the first country to take up this action, not to address any specific problem(s) but just to be smart and keep up with the developed nations. Our efforts on the space exploration front are far more focused, by comparison.
The reason for this impression is that there is no discernible pattern in the choice of existing cities to be made into smart ones. Put all the 100 choices together, and you still don’t get at least a jig saw puzzle pattern at the end of the effort.
In pre-liberation Goa, the Camaras Municipal (Municipal Councils) were in charge of the present functions of town and country planning. It is particularly interesting to note that the Camaras were named after the entire talukas and not just the towns. The engineer attached to the municipality was expected to ensure that developments and constructions anywhere in his jurisdiction conformed to the over-all objectives of the State as a whole.
There is very little open land left in Panjim for new constructions. Increasing FAR and demolition of heritage areas are both fraught with dangerous consequences. The next viable option is to expand the city limits. This was attempted several times in the past and had met with stiff resistance from local people. Porvorim area today is in Trisanku swarga, legally made part of Panjim, but awaiting the notification implementing the decision. Other areas around the other major towns had also been under severe growth stress but left unsolved as a measure of political expediency. Litigations have forced the status quo ante on the government.
Urbanisation of rural areas is a continuing world-wide phenomenon. The anxieties of the people from panchayat areas are largely on account of increased level of taxation. Once this problem is addressed through assurance of gradual increase, the opposition will mellow. Inclusion of their areas in the proposed smart city is an attractive offer in this context. Bardez, Pernem and Bicholim with Panjim can constitute the North Goa Smart City, Vasco, Salcete, Quepem and Canacona, (minus the Reserve Forests) can form the South Goa one. East Goa consuisting of Ponda, Sanguem, Darbandora and Sattari, together with forest areas of Quepem and Canacona, with large forest areas but also having numerous settlement and industrial areas may be designated as a special smart city with urban locations upgraded to the level of the rest of Goa and the green belt protected from further denudation. Higher FAR may be granted for the settlements here for accommodating organic growth of resident population, but new developments strictly prohibited. This will be on the lines of eco-sensitive areas of Capital territory of Delhi and also on the lines of the protected islands on either flank of the Mainland.
The special topological features of the Eastern Smart City will pose some severe challenges in terms of developing communications. A hill road connecting all the inhabited villages on the east may be constructed with clearance from the MoE and its east flank sealed off with fencing to protect both settlements and wild animals, as done presently for tiger reserves etc.
A Smart City is not confined to a three dimensional change. Sociological aspects arising from the new pattern of city life, hereto unfamiliar to the majority of people, will need to be spelt out and addressed.
Tourism is a fickle source of economic income as learnt by many destinations in the past. We already have the experience with mining. The State will need to wean itself off from total dependence on both these for survival. The glaring mismatch between trained manpower output from our Institutions of skill, technology and engineering and other places of higher learning and the actual avenues available for absorbing these, needs to be corrected. We have wasted post graduates on clerical posts and engineers on bank counters. The situation is alarming and calls for concerted action by all the stakeholders.
When the IT revolution was sweeping the world, we slept for far too long, before trying to catch up. We cannot afford to miss the train again and again.
