Noida: Smarter than most smart cities, but not a smart city?
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Noida: Smarter than most smart cities, but not a smart city?

Despite being the financial capital of Uttar Pradesh, Noida has not been able secure a place in the government initiative. What do the residents have to say?

Noida: Smarter than most smart cities, but not a smart city? Picture used for representative purpose only

While many cities in the country are making a run to secure their place in the list of smart cities, Noida, despite being one of the prime cities in the NCR, seems to be lagging behind.

Residents of Noida are trying to figure out the cause of the city’s omission from the last updated smart cities list. When City Spidey spoke to residents, some said that declaring Noida a smart city would have had its benefits but others pointed out that Noida did not need such tags.

Anurag Dixit, a resident of Sector 15A, said, “Noida is a smart city in itself and does not need to prove it. Declaring or not declaring Noida a smart city does not make any difference."

Kehar Singh, a resident of Sector 44, said, “Inclusion of Noida in the smart city list would have meant more recognition for the city.”

Noida is also known as the financial capital of Uttar Pradesh and bears almost all the characteristics of a smart city. Apart from its rich collection of industries, it also boasts developed educational facilities and a long list of multi-speciality hospitals and healthcare services. Noida is also the highest tax payer to the state exchequer, among all the districts of the state.

The city also has developed modes of transportation, such as the fast developing Metro rail and city buses.

AK Jain, an industrialist from Noida, said that recognising Noida as a smart city would have been a good decision. However, he added that despite its omission from the list, the facilities in Noida were way better than many other smart cities.

Gurmeet Singh, a Noida businessman, said, “The issue is not about enjoying the facilities of a smart city but about earning nationwide fame by being included in the list. The city cannot enjoy the smart-city limelight otherwise."

There is a focus on development in Noida so it can compete with other cities of the country. According to top officials who have worked for the city’s development, there are several projects in the city that have budgets larger than the smart city budget itself. The hundred-crore budget for the smart city initiative is a meagre sum in comparison to many of the project budgets being undertaken in the city.

But Noida cannot seek its place on the list due to the absence of a municipal corporation. Instead of a municipal corporation, Noida is maintained by a development authority, which is responsible for providing public welfare services residents.

This, of course, is going to prick the sentiments of many Noida residents.