Pimpri-Chinchwad’s ‘Smart City’… Slow, Unplanned, Chaotic Administration

Pimpri Chinchwad | The plundering and looting are not limited to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation alone. The same virus seems to have infected the workings of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Smart City Company as well. The noble objective of implementing the Smart City Mission as a program of urban reforms has been completely derailed in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Under the guise of development projects, there has been reckless spending and wastage of crores of rupees. The company’s claim of having developed the city is entirely bogus. Grandly announced projects and schemes remain only on paper. The work is slow, unplanned, and chaotic, plagued by a business-minded ‘let’s all eat together’ mentality that has doomed the Smart City projects. This company has turned into a major hub of corruption.

The Central Government’s Ministry of Urban Affairs and Housing launched the Smart City Mission on June 25, 2015, with the goal of developing 100 cities across the country. The mission had several excellent objectives: to modernize cities, improve infrastructure, stimulate economic growth, and create model smart cities that could inspire others.

Pimpri-Chinchwad was included in the Smart City list in the third round, two years later. On July 13, 2017, Pimpri Chinchwad Smart City Limited was established, and work began under this company. Funding was to be split as follows: 50% from the central government, 25% from the state government, and 25% from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. An internationally reputed company was assigned the planning work.

Pimpri-Chinchwad’s Smart City Proposal included two components: Area-Based Development (ABD) and Pan City Solutions. A total of ₹1,378.56 crore worth of projects were proposed. Of this, projects worth ₹867.34 crore were under Pan City Solutions, and ₹511.22 crore under ABD.

Pan City projects included- City Network, City Wi-Fi, Municipal e-Classrooms, Smart Kiosks and VMD Solution, CCTV Surveillance, Smart Traffic, Smart Water and Sewerage, Smart Parking, Selection of System Integrator for Integrated GIS-enabled ERP Solutions, and Startup Incubation Centre.
ABD projects included: Solar Power Generation, Bicycle Sharing, Smart Roads (with footpaths), Cycle Junction Design, Stormwater Drainage, Sewer Network, Two Parks and Public Toilets (including street toilets).

The deadline for Pimpri-Chinchwad’s Smart City was 2023. It was extended three times, with the final extension ending in June 2025. Over this long journey, nothing proceeded as planned. However, the company kept shuffling papers and making grand announcements. At the ground level, implementation failed miserably. The Smart City bubble has burst. Claims of development have proven to be false. It is said that over ₹1,500 crore was spent. However, no official data is released. The development expected in proportion to the expenditure is nowhere to be seen. Everything remains on paper. Citizens are deeply disappointed and feel cheated. Many projects saw excessive spending of crores. Huge amounts were spent on consultants. Their wrong advice ended up harming the city. Even though the work was incomplete, large payments were made to contractors, leading to a significant percentage-based game.

The tendering process in Smart City remained suspicious due to the lack of proper competition. Substandard work was done. The sky-high billing figures were eye-popping. Senior IAS officers from the Municipal Commissioner to Secretariat level were involved in Smart City operations. Still, the mismanagement was exposed. Leaders of major political parties were company members. Yet, they failed to make any impact. Setting aside party differences, they showed mutual understanding and benefited from the company as if it were a large Standing Committee. Serious allegations and counter-allegations regarding corruption and high-level political-bureaucratic interference persisted. Despite criticism, no improvements were made. The company conducted all its operations in English, and even when answers were requested, they were never provided.

Big Talks, Kicks at the Back!

Under Smart City, ‘Smart Parking’ was to be implemented at many locations across Pimpri-Chinchwad. Not a single parking facility could start properly. Necessary infrastructure was not developed. It was claimed that ‘e-Classrooms’ were started in 123 municipal schools following the Delhi model. In reality, nothing of the sort is visible. Most schools lack internet. Teachers lack necessary training. Wi-Fi was to be provided at the Municipal HQ and zonal offices, but no one knows where and how many such facilities exist. Optical fiber cables were to be laid across the city, followed by CCTV cameras for safety. But cables were not fully installed, nor were the cameras. Yet, crores were spent. Many filled their pockets. The entire operation was in shambles. Citizens’ safety remained at the mercy of fate.

Excavation was done all over the city. The work wasn’t completed in time. Citizens had to bear immense suffering. Roads were left in a pathetic state.

A Village Plaza was to be built at Pimple Gurav – that never happened. Giant advertising hoardings were to be erected in key city squares – their status is unknown. The Smart City was to give the city a unique identity – did that happen? Was the city’s beauty and grandeur enhanced – did that happen? Were international-standard infrastructure facilities developed – did that happen? Many such questions are being raised. No one answers them. Despite massive spending, the city gained nothing. No development is visible on the ground. Several development works had to be shelved. So where did the money go? Nothing happened beyond big talk.
There’s a relevant rural proverb: “Big talks, but a kick in the backside.” It applies perfectly here.

Due to slow, unplanned, and corrupt operations, the Smart City has ended up in this sorry state. Yet, the Centre shows no concern, and the State pays no attention. There’s no control over Smart City operations. No one monitors the officers’ work. No one questions how such massive spending occurred. After the Centre stopped funding, a key issue emerged: who will complete the pending projects, and who will bear the cost? Eventually, the municipal corporation will have to pay. This means, once again, public money will be looted.

The list of irregularities and scams in Smart City is long. Many cases are serious. The culprits and beneficiaries roam freely. With high-command support, everything has been pushed through so far. But now the mismanagement has gone too far. There needs to be a detailed audit of Smart City operations. To clear the doubts, there must be a transparent breakdown of where and how much money was spent. A high-level investigation must be conducted into the entire Smart City administration. The Central Government should direct the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to carry out a thorough probe. Raids should be conducted if necessary to uncover financial crimes. The guilty must be punished. Since Central and State funds were used, local MLAs and MPs must pursue the matter with both governments as trustees.
In reality, powerful politicians and top officials have vested interests in Smart City. But even then, the broader public interest must be considered. Those who looted public funds and filled their homes must be punished.

Consultants and Their Exploitative Deals

Crores were spent to appoint consultants for Smart City work. Was there any need for such expensive consultants? Did their advice really benefit the city? These are research-worthy questions. These consultants were repeatedly granted extensions. Many of them, appointed through influence, reportedly engaged in shady deals instead of doing their actual work. But due to the blessings of higher-ups, complaints were conveniently ignored.

Name of Project and Expense Amount-

• Command & Control Center: ₹255.98 crore

• Optical Fiber Cable: ₹276.98 crore

• Smart Water Supply: ₹139.31 crore

• Streetscape including Underground Utility, Two Parks & Smart Toilets (ABD): ₹378.51 crore

• GIS-enabled ERP incl. Municipal Service Benchmarks, Unique Smart Addressing, Online Licenses: ₹132.96 crore

• Village Plaza: ₹48 crore

• Smart Traffic: ₹31.38 crore

• City Surveillance: ₹33.64 crore

• Public Wi-Fi Hotspots: ₹20.06 crore

• Smart Sewerage: ₹22.24 crore

• Environment Education Centre & Wetland Park at Kasarwadi: ₹19.35 crore

• Smart Parking incl. Multi-Level Car Park: ₹5.39 crore

• Environment Sensors: ₹4.81 crore

• ICT-enabled SWM: ₹6.02 crore