Guwahati Smart City Project: Harnessing Digital Infrastructure for Sustainable Growth

Introduction

Being the capital of Assam, Guwahati is an ancient city that has gradually developed into a prominent administrative and commercial centre of Northeast India. With its strategic location by the Brahmaputra River facing the Meghalaya foothills, much urban expansion has been seen especially after the capital of Assam moved from Shillong to Dispur in 1972. The development of the city is also significant in connecting and facilitating the economic advancement of the entire region as it is a vital gateway to Northeast India and a possible corridor to Southeast Asia. The city has also identified itself as a major treasure trove into Southeast Asia in alignment with India’s Act East Policy.

Guwahati Smart City Limited (GSCL) is implementing the required digital infrastructure and smart city initiatives to improve urban living and connectivity. The entire project in Guwahati gets direction from national policy imperatives like the Digital India Initiative and National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP), which are critical to Guwahati’s metamorphosis into a smart city. This blog highlights the GSCL role, key challenges in urban development, and recommendations for laying improved infrastructure toward building an efficient and sustainable city.

The Guwahati Smart City Project (GSCL)

As Guwahati is getting urbanized, the Guwahati Smart City project, launched in 2016 by Guwahati Smart City Limited (GSCL) is focused on planning, implementing and monitoring projects which incorporates technology to infrastructure, services and overall liveability. The project aims to modernize the city through digital infrastructure, e-governance, intelligent traffic management and sustainable urban development. Area-based development including retrofitting, redevelopment and greenfield development is the core of this initiative addressing population density, land allotment and stakeholder management. With focus on sustainable urban growth, the Smart Cities Mission envisions Guwahati as an inclusive, economically vibrant and technologically advanced city catering to the needs of its diverse and growing population.

The smart city development in Guwahati has three levels of feasibility: very high, high and average.

Very high feasible areas are Northern and Central areas. Northern Region located along Brahmaputra River is well developed with strong infrastructure including water supply, sanitation, flood management and efficient traffic system. Commercial hubs like Pan Bazar and Fancy Bazar are the main areas here. Central Region which is housing the capital of Assam, Dispur is a planned area with government offices, residential areas and markets like Beltola is very important part of the city’s development.

High feasible areas are in Eastern and Western parts of the city. Eastern Region is home to Bamunimaidan industrial belt and Gauhati Refinery and faces challenges like flash floods and landslides but has potential due to industrial base. Western Region is expanding especially in education with institutions like Gauhati University and Assam Engineering College. This area is developing fast due to open spaces and suburban character.

Average feasible areas are in Southern part of the city. These areas though faces issues like landslides, water scarcity and poor connectivity are growing due to strategic infrastructure projects like new bus terminals and trade centres aimed at decongesting the city’s core. Though these areas faces more challenges, they have potential for smart city expansion with proper investment and planning.

Challenges in the Smart City Project

Soaring goals set against significant hurdles to its success, as the NITI Aayog Report in 2022 indicated, of the ₹3.96 billion allocated for Smart City development in Guwahati, a substantial amount was still lying unspent until 2022. Of this, a total outlay of ₹22.56 billion a five-year budget, required contributions of the Central and State governments of ₹5 billion each, urban local bodies, and external sources. On the other hand, Guwahati is falling behind in the race to meet the Smart City objectives owing to delays in use of funds and execution of projects.

Drainage and Flooding Issues

The key barrier to the metamorphosis of Guwahati is its insufficient drainage infrastructure. Poor drainage planning and encroachment of natural wetlands have aggravated waterlogging and flash floods in the city, especially during monsoons. The situation has further deteriorated with rapid urbanization as natural flood plains and water bodies such as the Deepor Beel have been encroached upon for construction. The Sisalko Beel restoration project was proposed and implemented in mitigating the floods, however more investments are required for complete and comprehensive flood control.

Traffic Bottlenecks and Mobility Limitations

Another chronic challenge is traffic congestion. Launched in 2022, the Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) applies automated signals, surveillance cameras and violation detection systems to regulate traffic at 45 key junctions. However, the execution was thwarted by mismanagement. Technosys Security System Private Limited, which was blacklisted in Madhya Pradesh and terminated in Ghaziabad for installing Chinese-manufactured cameras and overcharging for the project, was awarded the contract. Malfunctions in the project after midnight have further entangled traffic management, causing dissatisfaction among the public ,notes the report.

Moreover, factors like illegal roadside parking and ineffective public transport networks as well as poorly-designed road networks create congestion. With 40% of vehicles parked on the road, congesting Guwahati, studies have time and again pointed out that the traffic crisis is at an all-time high. To solve mobility issues, experts do recommend having underground parking facilities at spaces, an efficient city bus service, bicycle lanes and metro connectivity for these concerns.

Administrative Structure and Governance

There are various administrative bodies involved in the governance and implementation of smart city initiatives in Guwahati. Guwahati is served by two key organizations focused on urban governance: the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). Together they shape the city’s infrastructure, urban planning and service delivery, but also face challenges from the division of responsibilities and coordination between different agencies.

Guwahati Municipal Corporation is formed under Guwahati Municipal Corporation Act 1971. As defined in Section 6 of the Gauhati Municipal Corporation Act, 1971, its work involves the urban civic management, including services such as waste disposal, street maintenance, tax collection etc. It is a help for making services convenient and easier for the citizens to access the essential civic amenities. GMC, however, still struggles with a lack of trained personnel that impacts its function.

The GMDA was constituted under the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority Act, 1985, which provides a relatively wide jurisdiction on urban planning including infrastructure, water supply, drainage and housing. GMDA is also the nodal agency for executing the city’s Master Plan as per the provisions of Chapter 3 of Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority Act, 1985 for controlled urban expansion. But sometimes the overlap of duties among GMC and GMDA leads to delays and inefficiencies. The GDD is created to coordinate these two agencies and assist the efforts of other state/ central government supported schemes such as the Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP) and Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM)

Other than these agencies, the execution of Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) by the Assam government is a major step towards improving urban traffic management using technology. It planned to utilize an Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS), initially for intersection automated control at 20 out of a total of 344 junctions before the model shifted to a total of 45 junctions in 2016. However, widespread scepticism over its efficacy indicates that even more work needs to be done in order to reach successful implementation.

Recommendations

To realise its Smart City vision, Guwahati requires a set of strategic reforms:

·       Integrated Urban Planning — A consolidated urban transport policy covering GMC, GMDA, the Transport Department and Traffic Police at the stage of urban planning can be provided to avoid steps in urban infrastructure development which are not coordinated.

·       Better Drainage System – Restoration of wetland areas such as Deepor Beel, post-monsoon drain cleaning and eco-friendly urban planning improve flooding risks in Guwahati.

·       Smart Mobility Solutions – The development of metro rail system, dedicated bus corridors and non-motorised transport (NMT) options like bicycle lanes, pedestrian-friendly zones can help decongest roads.

·       Increased Public Participation — E-governance platforms and local governance mechanisms facilitate citizen engagement and enhance the effectiveness and transparency of policies.

·       Sustainable Waste Management – Innovations in waste-to-energy plants and scientific landfill management could revolutionise urban waste handling.

Conclusion

Guwahati Smart City Project aims to develop the city into a tech smart, sustainable and liveable urban center. There are, however, ubiquitous challenges: drainage, traffic, urban finances, inter-agency collaboration, etc. Through the integration of digital solutions, public engagement, and long-term urban planning, Guwahati can become the model Smart City in Northeast India. Programmatic areas that will take precedence within this domain include governance and localized financial accountability, as well as infrastructure development that can support sustainable expansion and a better life for city residents.