Kota Smart City hires consulting firms for transformation
The city of Kota in India is one among almost 100 slated to see a smart city transformation. The city will see Royal HaskoningDHV and venture partner STUP Consultants develop various solutions to develop and upgrade the city's infrastructure to meet the well-being needs of its 1.1 million people.
Kota is a city in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan. The city has a population of more than a million people, and is one of the world’s top ten most densely populated. India plans to contend with a growing population and ageing and inadequate infrastructure by renovating its key population centres, including Kota, into “smart cities”.
These cities are intended to leverage various technologies and strategic focuses that tackle various key issues. Basic infrastructure remains the core of the smart city development plans, however, also included are the development of recycling of waste, renewable energy sources, energy efficient & green buildings and smart parking and intelligent traffic management systems.
The country’s Urban Development Ministry has confirmed the bid to transform 98 Indian cities to smart cities – which has included the hire of 37 consulting and engineering firms to support local authorities and other parities with the development of individual smart cities.
The first trench of 20 city transformations was released last year – and included Ramboll’s work for the walled-river city of Udaipur. Kota Smart City, an organisation formed to develop the smart city, has also turned to the consulting industry to help plan for the overhaul, drafting in Royal HaskoningDHV and venture partner STUP Consultants, to deliver project management consultancy for the wider transformation. The project will see the consultants covering a range of services – including infrastructure design, construction supervision and project management – for projects that range across lake development, 24/7 water supply, rainwater harvesting, sanitation improvements, integrated urban road development, electric lighting, energy security and the improvement of gardens, parks and open spaces.
Commenting on the commissioned work, Dr Vikram Jindal IAS, Additional CEO of the Kota Smart City franchise commented, “We are delighted that Kota City is leading the way in the smart cities mission in India. We look forward to the Project Management Consultant - Royal HaskoningDHV and STUP Joint Venture to work closely with the Kota Smart City Ltd in achieving the objectives and goals to make Kota Smart City one of the best in Rajasthan and in the country.”
JVL Narayana, Managing Director of Royal HaskoningDHV’s Indian Water business meanwhile said, “The team is delighted to have been selected for this prestigious project. We are looking forward to providing innovative solutions which will improve the city’s resilience and ensure that Kota City is ready for any challenges that lie ahead.”
