Eight years after making it to the first list of proposed smart cities, Chandigarh is all set to give adieu to the Smart City Mission, which helped the city make new strides in security arrangements, traffic management, green transport, garbage and sewage handling etc. With an investment of almost Rs 10 billion since 2016 when the mission was first announced by the Union government, 34 smart projects have gone past the finish line, with just two projects pending as of now. All these projects were piloted by Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL). Chandigarh Smart City Limited will cease to exist by the end of 2024. The UT adviser has directed senior UT, MC and CSCL officials to identify departments within 45 days, where the completed and pending projects of CSCL could be transferred for their effective implementation and monitoring. By the start of 2025, doors of CSCL will be closed permanently and the selected departments of the UT administration and MC will look after all such projects, initiated and subsequently completed by CSCL in the past eight years, officials said. Out of a total 36 projects, only the pan-city 24x7 water supply project and animal carcass plant could not be completed, they added. With a 50-50 funding model between the central government and UT administration, the city witnessed completion of several state-of-the-art projects like upgrade of STPs and public bike sharing system, which was first of its kind in Chandigarh.
