“Oulgaret Municipality” which is one of the two Municipalities in Puducherry region of U.T. of Puducherry has been selected as the one of 100 cities under the Smart Cities Mission of the Government of India.

Under the Mission, the Oulgaret Municipality has to compete with other cities to make it to the top 20 cities and for taking up for further development as “Oulgaret Smart City”.

Smart city means different things to different people. The conceptualization of Smart City, therefore, varies from city to city and country to country, depending on the level of development, willingness to change and reform, resources and aspirations of the city residents.

The Oulgaret Municipality has started preparation of Smart City Proposal, a concept plan for in making the city as Smart.

Preparation of Smart City proposal is citizen driven and should capture the aspirations of the citizens about their city and the ways to achieve those.

Citizens are requested to suggest innovative, sustainable and SMART solutions for the below Strategies:

1. Area based Development: Selection of specified area rather than entire city based on three models

• Retrofitting (Planning and improvement of infrastructure in the existing built-up area): In retrofitting, an area consisting of more than 500 acres will be identified by the city in consultation with citizens. The cities will prepare a strategy to become smart
• Redevelopment (Replacement of existing built-up area and co-creation of new layout with enhanced infrastructure based on smart solutions: Redevelopment envisages an area of more than 50 acres, identified by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in consultation with citizens
• Greenfield Development (planning and development in new areas) and also viable: Development will introduce most of the Smart Solutions in a previously vacant area (more than 250 acres) using innovative planning, plan financing and plan implementation tools.

2. PAN City Initiative: Development envisages application of selected Smart Solutions to the existing city-wide infrastructure. Application of Smart Solutions will involve the use of technology, information and date to make infrastructure and services better

The core infrastructure elements in a Smart City would include:

i. Adequate water supply,
ii. Assured electricity supply,
iii. Sanitation, including solid waste management,
iv. Efficient urban mobility and public transport,
v. Affordable housing, especially for the poor,
vi. Robust IT connectivity and digitalization,
vii. Good governance, especially e-Governance and citizen participation,
viii. Sustainable environment,
ix. Safety and security of citizens, particularly women, children and the elderly
x. Health and education

Your words will bring a change. Join hands in rejuvenating Oulgaret Municipality and help Oulgaret Municipality to recognize and address the difficulties in your city and surroundings by sharing your views on “Smart Oulgaret”.

Share your views on the above strategies to make your city as smart city by 5th December, 2015.