Smart City Project Scrapped; Nagpur Assets to Be Handed Over to NMC
Nagpur, India: The Central Government has officially scrapped the Smart City Mission in all 100 cities across the country, including Nagpur. Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar confirmed the decision during a recent virtual meeting attended by Municipal Commissioner Dr Abhijeet Chaudhari and officials from Nagpur Smart City.
Although work was still ongoing in Nagpur, a letter from the State Urban Development Department (UDD) dated 27 March had already instructed that all assets developed under the Smart City project be transferred to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). However, the letter did not clearly state that the project itself was being scrapped, leading to some confusion.
The Centre has now stopped funding the project, and NMC will take over responsibility for the implementation, maintenance, and use of all assets. The UDD also mentioned that a separate decision would be taken regarding the future of the Nagpur Smart and Sustainable City Development Corporation Limited (NSSCDCL).
20% Work Still Pending
In Nagpur, the Smart City project was primarily implemented in Bharatwada and Punapur in East Nagpur. Officials say about 20% of the work is still incomplete and may take another two months to finish. Once the remaining work is done, the services of most contract-based staff working under the project will be terminated, with only key positions such as the CEO and Finance Officer retained for now.
A Brief Overview
Launched in 2015, the Smart City Mission aimed to transform urban areas into more liveable and technologically advanced spaces through improvements in mobility, waste management, water supply, and digital infrastructure. Nagpur was among the selected cities under the scheme.
The project was originally set to conclude in 2022, but due to delays and unfinished work, it was extended by three more years. Despite the extension, several projects under the initiative remain incomplete.
With the official closure of the mission, Nagpur’s Smart City journey will now be managed entirely by the NMC, marking the end of a major urban development drive in the city.
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