Know The 13 New Entries To The Smart City List

Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday (May 24) announced the names of 13 new cities that will be developed under the Centre's Smart Cities Mission.

These cities – Agartala (Tripura), Bhagalpur (Bihar), Chandigarh, Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh), Faridabad (Haryana), Imphal (Manipur), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), New Town Kolkata (West Bengal), Panaji (Goa), Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Ranchi (Jharkhand), and Warangal (Telangana) – were selected through a fast-track competition.

The government had earlier named the first batch of 20 cities and announced the fast-track competition for 23 more – all from different states. The 10 cities that could not make the cut in this round will be given another chance to revise their plans and give them for evaluation in the second round to be held by June-end.

PropGuide takes a look at the 13 cities that have just made it to the list:

Agartala

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The capital city of Tripura, fast-developing as a centre for trade and investments, lies close to the India-Bangladesh border. The city is known for its high literacy rate and a pro-business environment. Agartala is also an important hub for cross-border trade and business with Bangladesh. On the flip side, however, the city still does not have direct rail connectivity, due to its geographical disadvantages. Besides, road connectivity through Guwahati and Shillong is not reliable during the rainy season. Laying of tracks by the railway ministry from Agartala to the Indo-Bangladesh international border is in the pipeline.

Bhagalpur

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Situated in the southern parts of Bihar, this city is famous for silk. The state's second-largest city, next only to Patna, Bhagalpur is also a major centre for education, business and politics in East India.

Chandigarh

(Flickr/Innovative Monkey)

One of the first planned cities of Independent India, Chandigarh was a brainchild of the then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru and designed as the capital of Punjab by French Architect Le Corbusier. The foundation stone of the city was laid in 1952. Later, when Punjab was trifurcated into Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh became the capital of Haryana, too. Initially developed to house half a million people, the city now accommodates about one million people. By official estimates Chandigarh's population by 2021 could be around two million. The city, which has 56 sectors, each measuring 800 x 1,200 metres, is now expanding beyond its original plan, and areas like Dhakoli, Dera Bassi, Kharar, Mani Majra, Mohali, Panchkula and Zirakpur are seeing project based constructions.

Dharamshala

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A famous tourist destination in the foothills of the Himalayas, Dharamshala is also the seat of the Dalai Lama and the headquarters of the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan government in exile). Tourism is the main driver of its economy. Dharamshala also has a famous cricket stadium that hosts international matches against the backdrop of scenic beauty.

Faridabad

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Founded in 1607 by Mughal king Jahangir's treasurer Shaikh Farid to protect a road that passed through this place, Faridabad today is part of the National Capital Region. The city is strategically located and shares borders with Delhi to the north, Palwal to the south, Gurgaon to the west and Uttar Pradesh to the east. Delhi-Mathura-Agra NH-2 passes through Faridabad, which has a well-connected network of roads. The city also has a good rail connectivity. Recently, it was also connected with Delhi Metro.

Imphal

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Amid mountain ranges, lakes and lush green valleys, Imphal, the capital city of Manipur has a humid subtropical climate. The city, which has many historical monuments, enjoys excellent transportation and is a major economic centre of Manipur. Connected by road to Silchar via NH-37, to Aizwal via NH-150 and to Dimapur and Tumu in Myanmar via NH AH-1, Imphal is one of the better connected state capitals in Northeast India. Also, the city is the only Northeast city apart from Guwahati that has an international airport.

Lucknow

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A major metropolis and a booming Tier-II real estate market, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh is said to be India's first 'CCTV City'. It has about 10,000 installed cameras that are monitored by the city police. An important centre for governance, education, art and literature, Lucknow has a rich history of art and poetry. Today, it is known for its culture and architectural elegance. Several tourist attractions, monuments and landmarks dot the city.

New Town, Kolkata

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With its roots in a project of the then Left government in West Bengal, New Town is a city that is coming up as a major real estate market, especially for affordable housing. The original idea was to develop the city as a modern satellite township of Kolkata, the state capital. The governing body of the township, New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA), was set up under The New Town Kolkata Development Authority Act, 2007, and became operational in 2009. The body is responsible for civic services and amenities in the area.

Panaji

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The capital city of Goa lies on the banks of the Mandovi River estuary. The city boasts the Salim Ali Bagh Sanctuary, the Dona Paula lake and Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, and is a major tourist attraction. The city's carnival celebrations is also a big draw for tourists from across India and abroad. The nearest airport, Dabolim Airport, is 30 km from Panaji.

Port Blair

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Known for its role in the struggle against British rule in India, Port Blair, today the capital of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, is famous for housing the Cellular Prison and being a major strategic location for Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army. The city has a tropical monsoon, little variation in average temperature across the year. The city's economy is mainly supported by its tourism industry.

Raipur

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Ruled at different times by various dynasties and empires, Raipur is a historically rich city. The biggest commercial centre of Chhattisgarh today, the city has the river Mahanadi to the east and the Maikal hills in the northwest. The city is connected to other important business centres by five national highways which cross the city. Traditionally, Raipur's economy has been supported by agricultural processing, steel, cement and alloy industries. Lately it has also emerged as a key market for coal, power, plywood, steel and aluminium.

Ranchi

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The capital of Jharkhand, also called the 'City of Waterfalls' because of its numerous waterfalls, Ranchi is fast-developing as a commercial and economic centre. The prime contributors to the city's economy are its tourism and sports industries.

Warangal

(Flickr/Rajib Ghosh)

The second-largest city in the newly formed state of Telangana, next only to Hyderabad, Warangal, a cluster of three towns — Warangal, Hanmakonda and Kazipet — is also called a tri-city. The city, 145.3 km away from Hyderabad, is governed by the Warangal Municipal Corporation. Warangal municipality was upgraded as a municipal corporation in 1994 and became Greater Warangal in 2014. The capital of the Kakatiya dynasty from the 12th to 14th centuries CE (earlier known as Orugallu), Warangal is also referred to as the cultural capital of Telangana.