“INNOVATIONS, SUSTAINABILITY, SURVEILLANCE AND DEVELOPMENT FOR SAFE CITIES”

A smart city uses information and communication technology (ICT) to improve operational efficiency, share information with the public and provide a better quality of government service and citizen welfare. The main goal of a smart city is to optimise city functions and promote economic growth while also improving the quality of life for citizens by using smart technologies and data analysis. The value lies in how this technology is used rather than simply how much technology is available. A defining feature of a smart city is Smart or Intelligent Mobility – a revolutionary approach to commuting which promises the citizens affordable, multiple modes of transportation, including rapid mass transit systems, on-demand mobility solutions, ride-sharing, vehicle-sharing, electric vehicles, biking, walking, and even more. A shift toward EVs will enable advances in decentralized renewable-power generation and lower down air pollution. Approximately 40 percent of vehicles in developing, dense cities will be electric by 2030 states a report. EVs are positioned to play a massive role in adopting Smart City concepts through their ability to revolutionize transportation needs by making travel much more sustainable.

In addition and another very important aspect is the safe city approach, which focuses on the crime problem in urban areas. Safe City is a city, which by the integration of technology and natural environment increases the effectiveness of processes in the field. While in India, the Safe City project aims to create a safe, secure and empowering environment for women in public places, to enable them to pursue all opportunities without the threat of gender-based violence and/or harassment. As part of several initiatives for safety of women by the Government of India, Safe City Projects have been approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The projects involve identification of hotspots for crime against women and deployment of various components including infrastructure, technology adoption, and capacity building in community through awareness programmes which will enable safety for women. With the help of apps, now people can crowd source personal stories of harassment and abuse in public spaces. This data which is anonymous, gets aggregated as hot spots on a map indicating trends at a local level. The idea is to make this data useful for individuals, local communities and local administration to identify factors that causes behaviour that leads to violence and work on strategies for solutions.

Acknowledging the great importance of the 'Smart Cities Mission' initiative by the Indian Government, Bharat Exhibitions is pleased to organize its flagship event on Smart Cities, Safe City & Intelligent Mobility India 2024 on August 22, 2024 at Hotel Hotel Le Meridien New Delhi. The summit will bring together industry thought leaders, policymakers, investors and innovators on a single platform. Advances in mobility are already affecting the transportation systems of major cities around the world. The summit will highlight how to gain advantages by looking at the future of mobility in a comprehensive and integrated way.