Bhubaneswar: The Temple City, which has won the coveted Smart Cities Challenge, has been transforming cityscape with the ambitious Smart City Project.
On the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the Smart City Project, here is a review of the important project works, which are creating a visible impact and changing the lives of people across the State Capital.
ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC SIGNALLING SYSTEM
Technically called Solar Powered Adaptive Traffic Signal System, it is an intelligent and IT-based signalization of traffic intersections in the city which will include traffic signal control system along with the provision of pelican signals and blinkers implemented on a city-wide level. The city now has 50 Intersections, 8 Pelicans and 5 blinkers and shall also be maintained for the next 7 years by Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL).
SMART PARKS, SAHEED NAGER
Design of the innovative parks included the redevelopment of existing infrastructure like pathways, drinking water taps, children play equipment’s, splash pool, watchtower, open-air gym, portable e-toilets, organizing shrubs/trees in a disciplined manner and planting new trees to suit the overall theme, adding child-friendly components. The paintings on the walls are done by children and citizens from all groups .
BHUBANESWAR OPERATIONS CENTRE
The first-of-its-kind centralized command and control centre will monitor, operate, and control the existing services of the city. The Adaptive Traffic Signal System, tracking of buses and municipal vehicles along with Grievance Redressal System is being operationalised at present from BOC. It also handles data captured by environment sensors and traffic violation detection system.
SOCIAL EQUITY CENTRE, KHARVEL NAGAR
Social Equity Centre as a concept is envisaged to provide shelter to the poor floating population requiring temporary accommodation particularly targeting migrated construction workers. This integrated project will house a rental housing of 200 beds along with 100 beds for Urban Homeless, an Aahar Centre for subsidized food, Water ATM and other required amenities.
BHUBANESWAR.ME
Launching of Bhubaneswar.Me was done as the City Branding website. This all-in-one city website showcases the city and its rich heritage, art, culture, architecture, cuisines, traditions, natural treasures, urban development and tourist information for visitors planning to explore the city.
ODYSSEY CITY CARDS / COMMON PAYMENT CARD
‘Odyssey’ City Card, this pre-paid multi-purpose card is a first-of-its-kind offering in the city that has been designed to enable residents to make quick and easy payments for an array of services like transit or travel, property tax, water bills, and vehicle parking fees and trade license fee for traders and businesses among others, in a seamless manner.
BHUBANESWAR ME WI-FI
The service is now with 100 hotspots and 275 Access Points. While one Wi-Fi hotspot would be able to handle as many as 150 users at a given point of time, the Internet speed will be available at 2 megabytes per second (MBPS). Access to 250 MB of data will be free for any user on a given day.
The Phase-I launching of Wi-Fi network with 100 hotspots would be followed by 100 locations in the Phase-II it would add up later and there would be 518 hotspots across the city to complete the City Wide Wi-Fi Network. With all three phases, the city will have 1,800 APs.
BHUBANESWAR ONE
It is a map-based web application which integrates geospatial data from all the Government and private organizations for providing easy and hassle-free information for the residents, visitors and businesses. The portal provides an integrated GIS-based platform with multi-agency collaboration where the government organizations can contribute and update their information and services.
BHUBANESWAR URBAN KNOWLEDGE CENTRE:
The BUKC works for organization development and capacity building, knowledge management, documentation and peer to peer learning. It will maintain and update library of books, journals and reports on Smart City planning and development issues.
PROJECTS IN PROGRESS
SMART JANPATH
The redevelopment of Janpath between Vani Vihar and Sishu Bhawan Square includes streetscape design, beautification, landscaping, intersection redesign, and infrastructure upgrades with the construction of new pavement, rehabilitation of existing pavement, construction and/or rehabilitation of major and minor bridges, culverts, road intersections, interchanges, drains, etc. It is envisaged as the People’s Smart Path.
IPSC, SAHEED NAGAR & BAPUJI NAGAR
The Integrated Public Service Centre (IPSC) in Saheed Nagar and Bapuji Nagar shall have the components for citizen services like bill payment centre, dispensary crèche and community group space, ward house, multipurpose hall, library and reading room and skill centre.
MLCPs RAJMAHAL SQUARE, SAHEED NAGAR
The Multi-Level Car Parking (MLCP) building at Raj Mahal Square sand Saheed Nagar shall consist of basements, ground and other floors. While the Rajmahal Square MLCP will accommodate a minimum 450 cars, at Saheed Nagar it will have minimum 250 Equivalent Car Spaces (ECS).
SENSORY PARK
BSCL and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation have now initiated the process for setting up of one of its kind sensory park for children with special needs. Designed by Bhubaneswar Urban Knowledge Centre (BUKC), it will have ramps and facilities like a sand pit and rubber flooring to curb the chances of any injuries on the fall of children during play. For the visually challenged children, there will be Braille wall and a sound wall along with reflexology path specially created integrating soil, grass and pebbles etc.
ICOMC-BMC BUILDING
Bhubaneswar’s state-of-the-art Intelligent City Operations and Management Centre (ICOMC) is at the core of its pan-city proposal. This centre will provide a digital platform for integrating city sub-systems of traffic management, parking, Bus/Para-transit Operations, Common Payment Card, Emergency Response and City Incident Management along with seamless integration of BTCD’s utility operations requirements. The ICOMC Building and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation will be housed in one building for which work has already started.
SOCIALLY SMART PROJECT
A joint initiative between Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited and UNFPA, this is aimed at enhancing life, health and skills of youth, adolescent girls, women and the elderly in the slums under the Bhubaneswar Town Centre District. Community level initiatives were now seen in 100 slums across the city.
Besides these the Smart City Project is also associated with the public transit system by bettering the service of urban transport through `Mo Bus’ and `Mo Cycle’ as transit options for mass transport and last mile connectivity. It has also worked with other agencies of the government to facilitate optical fibre cable laying and completed so far 232 km length.
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