Digital Transformation: How Gandhinagar has become the Smarter City of India

By Zia Askari | TelecomDrive.com

Sterlite Tech designs, builds, and manages Smart City Services for the citizens of Gandhinagar

Enabling digital transformation for the citizens of Gandhinagar – Sterlite Tech deploys next generation smart city services for Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC). By performing the digital transformation services and adopting new technologies, we can build an entirely innovative approach and invest in the future.

Speaking on the sidelines of 3rd Smart Cities India 2017 Expo, Dinesh Chandra Modi, Commissioner, Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation highlighting the importance of this project said, “Gandhinagar’s significance as the state capital of Gujarat and as one of the few modern planned city of India puts it in forefront of leading Digital Initiative. Firstly, connecting over 2 lacs citizens through city wide Wi-Fi internet access across 57 sq. kms of city area was key to encourage citizen participation in growth and city governance. Secondly, we wanted to have a safe and secure environment and with the help of city wide surveillance – we have been successful in reducing the crime rate by 39 per cent post deployment. On another front, we achieved huge savings by providing smart motion sensor based city light. This has reduced the power consumption by 40 per cent leading to reductions in CO2 too,” he added.

The Smart City Services Project is a benchmark in digital infrastructure and brings smarter living experiences to the citizens of Gandhinagar. Elements of digital signage with environment sensors and data display, PA system for public good announcement and control, IP surveillance with Face and Speed detection capabilities are now connected to RTO database for E-challans play a critical role in consolidating the planned objectives.

“All these smart components are centrally managed through Integrated Command centre. These are some of the big innovations that are making life of a common citizen digitally smart.” He explained.

How GMC scripted success with its partners?

While initiating the project – GMC started a process of regular meetings with its partners and Sterlite being the lead enabler – played a critical role by designing the solution.

“It was very critical that we had all the stakeholders meet quite regularly. So we started these meetings at the secretariat in the chairmanship of our honorable secretary. We were able to solve a lot of issues and challenges in those meetings only. This is the reason that this is a great success today,” D N Modi added.

The Road Ahead

Delivering innovative services for common citizens, this is becoming a model smart city project that the whole nation can look forward to replicate.

As of now GMC is delivering – open sky Wi-Fi connectivity, IP Surveillance, Smart Street Lighting, Environment Sensors, Digital Signage, Speed & Face Detection services. Moving forward, GMC is set to add more innovative services.

“We are in the process of providing people with a level of visibility of the traffic conditions – for next 30 Kms what is going to happen, for instance - how people can navigate towards Ahmedabad or how to go to Northern part of Gandhinagar,” he explained.

Sterlite Tech - Elitecore Wins Accolades at Smart Cities India Awards 2017

Owing to its innovative approach in delivering smart services as part of the Gandhinagar Wi-Fi project, Sterlite Tech – Software has won the Jury Excellence Award for enabling Wi-Fi based Smart Solution for Connected Smart Cities (Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation)

Gandhinagar Wi-Fi in a Nutshell

GMC launched Gandhinagar Smart Services under Swarnim Jayanti Mukhya Mantri Shaheri Vikas Yojna.

The project is completed under Gandhinagar Wi-Fi project enabling Smart Services which includes Wi-Fi Services (open to sky), IP Surveillance, Smart Street Lighting, Environment Sensors, Digital Signage, Speed & Face Detection, Automatic Number Plate Recognition, Public Address system and Smart Call Centre thus helping government significantly in its service delivery to the citizen.

All the services can be monitored through a central command centre. The smart services are to provide convenience with digitally connectivity, security savings and system transparency for better governance.

Citywide Open to Sky Wi-Fi Connectivity

High-speed (2Mbps) Wi-Fi services, as of now covering 75% open area of Gandhinagar area with 750 AP installed and has over 190,000 registered users as of 31st April 2017.