Realizing the SMART dream
We have barely begun to wrap our heads around the concept of smart phones. Yet every day we go online, something smart pops up; smart watches, smart TVs and even smart lamps. It was about time our cities became smart as well.
Imagine our city being able to collect data from citizens, devices, and assets which can be processed and analyzed to monitor and manage traffic and transportation systems, water supply, law enforcement, schools, hospitals and other community services. This concept of smart city can turn our cities into a complex but well managed network of data collection and transfer, which in turn is utilized by the processing units for the formulation of rules, laws or policies to makes our lives better. Cities like Amsterdam, Stockholm, Santa Cruz, Manchester, etc. have implemented the concept of smart city. In Barcelona, sensory technology has been implemented in the irrigation system, where real time data is transmitted to gardening crews about the level of water required for the plants. It is a very smart use of the concept, something we could derive from.
It is well known that addition of the ‘smart’ prefix to anything implies high rise in its functionality. Like the other smart objects, smart city also integrates Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for its efficient functioning. However, it is unwise to expect same nature of change in our cities as we saw in our phones or watches. This concept would enhance the quality, performance and interactivity of urban services to reduce costs and consumption of resources and establish better and amicable contact between the citizens and the government. Moreover, this technology allows the city officials to interact directly with both community and the city infrastructure to monitor what is happening in the city, how it is evolving and developing smart city applications to manage urban flows and allow for real-time responses. In Amsterdam, to promote efforts from local residents, they run the annual Amsterdam Smart City Challenge, accepting proposals for applications and developments that fit within the framework of the city. Events like this are very important for people’s involvement and satisfaction with the development of their cities.
Cyberville, digital city, MESH city, teletopia and so on, there have been many names for this information technology behemoth. But be it cyberville or teletopia, there are certain characteristics that are common to all. A smart city can use information and communication technology to make more efficient use of physical infrastructure to support a strong and healthy economic, social and cultural development. And with that amount of real-time data there is effective engagement of local people in local governance and decision making by using open innovation process and e-participation, which improves the collective intelligence of the city’s institutions through e-governance and people’s participation. And finally, being able to learn, adapt, innovate and then respond more effectively and promptly to changing circumstances by improving the intelligence of the city.
Nepal government has already begun its first step in evolving Kathmandu into a smart city. The smart license, which can store the owner’s personal information and their traffic violation records, is bumpy but a good start. Bumpy, because the implementation phase is too slow due to economic and organizational incompetence. Another example is the abolishment of citizenship card and introduction of the “National ID Card” containing an individual’s demographic and biometric details, which aims to provide quality services and facilities in a faster and more efficient manner. A number of electric vehicle charging stations have also been established in Kathmandu, which shows progressive behavior in terms of energy usage. Similarly, there are applications like “Mero Sajha” and “Mahanagaryatayat” which enable people to track the locations of respective buses and estimate the time taken by those buses to reach their stops. In addition to that, there are applications like “Traffic Police, Nepal” to know the live traffic status of different places in Kathmandu and to submit traffic related complaints; “Hamro Police” to report incidents to police. And so on.
It is clear that Kathmandu has taken a lot of small steps towards becoming a smart city, all that needs to be done is to merge these tiny steps into one mighty stride. We need to be able to integrate the information from all these different sources. It can then be analyzed by the officials in light of the needs and wants of people, for further betterment of the facilities. We should be able to automate the operative mechanisms on site and move people behind computer desks, handling and analyzing the vast amount of data. So, with dedication and a bit of stability, this idea of Kathmandu being a smart city can be realized.
