WHY Meerut is vibrant enough to become a smart city

By Girish Kumar

Keeping in view the aspirations of modern citizens, in todays world any city with a populations of 1.5 to 2.0 millions people will require smart city to live a life of Vibrancy. A smart city that is equipped with basic infrastructure to give high quality of life, a clean and sustainable environment through application of some smart solutions. Assured water and electricity supply, sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, robust IT connectivity, e-governance and citizen participation, safety and security of citizens.Assured water and electricity supply, sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, robust IT connectivity, e-governance and citizen participation, safety and security of citizens.

Meerut is the second largest city in National Capital region only after Delhi. Meerut could be one of the smart cities of India.

The city Meerut feels pride to stand fifth on the vibrancy index, declared by the US based financial company Morgan Stanley in the 2011 survey done on 200 cities of India. After examining it on their prescribed parameters the company adjudged its position ahead of Delhi and Mumbai in terms of investment and economic growth.

The Walled city Meerut has shown its existence from ancient period of Lord Rama and thereafter Kuru dynasty of Mahabharta which had privilege of having close association with Lord Krishna. The city also has pride of having some of the archeological site like Alamgirpur which existed parallel to Harrapa and Mohanjodaro. It also spearheaded the first war of Independence against British Raj in 1857.

SMART ENVIRONMENT

Besides being second largest city in National Capital Region (NCR) it also spearheaded the green revolution in the region in 1970s turning the region into an ‘agriculture belt’. The bumper crop of Sugarcane and potato year after year has paved the way of setting up many sugar mills and food processing plants in the region.

The trade of frozen meat flourished in the region in past one decade and many of international brands of frozen meat belong to this city which has been earning a good amount of foreign currency for country`s exchequer.

SMART ECONOMY

The city also has earned name in the manufacturing of sports goods especially world`s top cricket brand SG, SS and BDM have originated from this walled city. Engineering industry is another emerging commerce in the city. Known for its fine work of scissors manufacturing it has earned certification of geographic indicator patent in the name of 'MEERUT SCISSORS'. This for the first time that traditional manufacturing activity has earned GI Patent in India.

Original special taste of ‘Rewari and Gajak’ which is now choice of millions across the globe. 

SMART PEOPLE

Education and language play a significant role in the development of a city and Meerut is quite fortunate in the way that even after experiencing brunt of many communal riots in past people of different communities have shown their zeal to live and advance on the path of development together.

City peoples` die hard’ attitude also makes it a fit case to put it in a path of development for better future of their coming generation and country as well.

With more than three dozen engineering colleges and over 70 public schools the city has emerged as hub of education. This has given the city youngsters who are well versed in English language which helps in connecting them with rest of the world and easy access to information on internet. The city also has advantage of having four universities including one agriculture university and two medical colleges.

Its skilled artisans are a major demographic advantage for engineering industry while industrialists and entrepreneurs enjoy a cordial relationship which is evident by the fact that the city has experience no ‘labour unrest’ in past fifteen years.

It is a virgin place for industrial development and 12% of its land is available for industrial use along with the advantage of low cost as compared to other places of NCR. Seeing the potential of development GAILGAS Ltd. has made its elaborate setup in the district in order to provide clean and green piped gas fuel to industries for better development of the area. Food proccesssing industries have advantage of low cost of inputs in terms of fuel as well as agriculture produce.

SMART LIVING

The people and the culture of Meerut has promoted harmony and balance between the science and technology of the modern world we live in and the beauty and purity of the natural world that surrounds us. The city is resource rich in terms of the quality of soil available for growing organic agricultural food as also this becomes possible because of the availability of less contaminated Ganga water. 

SMART MOBILITY

In a quest to develop the city as new center of development the city is likely to get share of infrastructure projects of over Rs 20,000 crore in coming years These projects include Meerut Delhi express way, Rapid Rail Transit System, Bulandshahr- Meerut express way, Western Peripheral Expressway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Upper Ganga Expressway, Airport, Delhi Mumbai Freight Corridor, Amritsar Howrah freight Corridor etc.

Meerut stands thorough on the five pillars of a smart city which are smart economy, smart people, smart environment, smart mobility and smart living. All that we need is smart governance.

(The author is an entrepreneur Graduated from IIT, Kanpur, entrepreneur and activily associated with Industrial Association like CII, IIA, FISME, ITMA AND MIDFo)

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