Smart cities projects nearing completion in Srinagar, Jammu

Srinagar, Jan 29: Jammu and Kashmir has completed 281 of the 288 projects approved under the Smart Cities Mission, achieving a completion rate of nearly 97.6 per cent, according to government data tabled in Parliament.
The figures, place the Union Territory slightly above the national average as the centrally sponsored mission transitions into an operations and maintenance phase.
The data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs show that Jammu and Kashmir claimed central assistance of Rs 941 crore under the mission, of which Rs 885 crore has been utilised so far.
Across the two cities, only seven projects with a combined cost of Rs 140 crore remain under execution.
In Jammu, 127 projects with an estimated cost of Rs 2,969 crore were sanctioned, of which 125 have been completed. Srinagar accounted for 161 projects costing Rs 3,634 crore, with 156 completed, the data showed.
At the national level, the Smart Cities Mission has taken up 8,064 projects with a total outlay of Rs 1,64,811 crore. Of these, 7,767 projects worth Rs 1,55,859 crore have been completed, while 297 projects costing Rs 8,952 crore are ongoing across the country.
The parliamentary annexure noted that Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs) have been established in all 100 smart cities, forming the backbone for urban monitoring and governance.
Digital infrastructure such as SCADA-based water network monitoring and CCTV surveillance systems for public safety have been developed as part of the mission’s long-term urban management framework.
Officials said the relatively small value of the remaining projects in Jammu and Srinagar indicates that pending works are limited in scope and could be completed within short timelines, subject to administrative clearances and seasonal construction conditions.
The Smart Cities Mission focuses on improving core urban services including water supply, urban mobility, waste management, public spaces and heritage conservation.
According to national data, the mission has resulted in the installation of nearly 17,000 kilometres of water networks under SCADA systems, deployment of more than 83,000 CCTV cameras and development of over 1,300 public-space projects.
Once fully operational, officials said the completed interventions in Jammu and Srinagar are expected to help reduce non-revenue water losses, improve traffic and mobility management, modernise solid waste systems and enhance civic amenities, contributing to improved urban resilience, public safety and tourism infrastructure. (KNO)