Smart City Coimbatore: Mission, Objective, Projects, and Current Status

The Smart Cities Mission in India is an initiative undertaken by the Indian Government. The Ministry of Urban Development is assigned the job of coordinating with concerned states regarding the development challenge. Development starts at the bottom. Therefore urban areas must be growing in the right direction. Predictions say that urban development in India would contribute 75% to the country’s GDP. Due to the increasing population, institutions like housing, schools, colleges, and recreational facilities are required for overall development. Hence, through the Smart Cities Mission, the Government of India aims to retrofit and introduce advancement for the betterment of the country. 

The Smart Cities Challenge is where every state of India has nominated at least one city to accept the challenge of five years to work on the renewal and retrofitting of the appointed cities. In total, there are about 100 cities which are a part of the smart cities mission. The central government provides funding for the Smart Cities Mission. Special Purpose Entities are present in every metropolis headed by a CEO. Tamil Nadu itself has 11 cities nominated for the Smart City Mission. 

Coimbatore was one of the cities selected during the first round of selection for the Smart Cities Challenge in 2016. It is also called Kovai, after the alternate spelling of Koyampattur. The city’s principle of development rules by the eight lakes- Krishnampathi, Selvampathy, Kumaraswamy, Kurichi, Valankulam, Periyakulam and Selva Chinthamanikulam. The Smart City Coimbatore Project will revolve around these lakes. Since it is a unique aspect of the city, authorities wish to highlight this side of the city. The areas around the lakes will transform because of the construction of parks, botanical gardens and other green spaces. Smart City Coimbatore plans to honour the natural habitat of the city along with retrofitting existing entities. 

The Chera dynasty ruled the Coimbatore region in 1-4 century CE. It was an entrance at that time for Palakkad. The city is mentioned in Silapathikaram, a Tamil epic. Later it became the Kingdom of Mysore. During the rule of the British, Coimbatore was annexed under the Madras Presidency. In the 1920s when the cotton industry collapsed in Bombay, Coimbatore became the new hub. It was constituted as a Municipal Corporation in 1981. Coimbatore saw massive growth due to industrial development. 

Coimbatore Smart City Objectives

The main objective of the Smart City Mission is to provide citizens with adequate water and electricity, accessible public transport facilities, affordable housing and reduction of homelessness, reduce the digital divide between urban rich and poor, good governance and application of e-governance, safety and security to all citizens, proper health and sanitation and education. 

The development plan of Smart City Coimbatore revolves around the eight lakes of the city. The aim is to make the metropolis a sustainable place along with easy availability of basic amenities to everyone. The key areas in focus are- 

• Reducing motor mobility. Constructing cycling paths and footpaths. Improvement of public transport is another aim of the authorities. 30 km of the non-motorized area will be constructed for cyclists and walkers.
• Improving flood management capacity in the region. Developing the lakeside area for educational and recreational purposes. 
• Green patches have been planned around the lake area and in between the city. 
• New housing facilities for low-income residents. 
• Establishment of CCTV surveillance, proper Traffic Monitoring Systems, energy-efficient street lights and constant monitoring of the Air Quality Index. 

Coimbatore Smart City Projects

The authorities in Coimbatore have done some good work in terms of the development of the city. Following are the details of the projects of Smart City Coimbatore –

Work Completed

source: https://smartcities[dot]gov[dot]in

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Work Order Stage

source: https://smartcities[dot]gov[dot]in

Tender Stage

source: https://smartcities[dot]gov[dot]in

Coimbatore Smart City Map

Coimbatore is surrounded by the Western Ghats in the north and west. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is on the Northern side of the city. The Noyyal river flows in the south, forming the boundary of the city. The eight major lakes in the city are Singanallur, Valankulam, Ukkadam Periyakulam, Selvampathy, Narasampathi, Krishnampathi and Selva Chinthamanikulam. Coimbatore is divided into North and South regions. Mettupalayam lies in the north, Avinashi in the northeast, Palladam in the east and Pollachi in the south. The east side of the city is a well-developed urban settlement. The west side is bordered by the Annamalai, Nilgiris and Munnar ranges. 

Smart City Coimbatore is known as the manufacturing hub of Tamil Nadu. A large population of Coimbatore speak Kongu Tamil followed by Telugu, Kanada, Malayalam, Urdu and Hindi. As far as food is concerned, you get the option of having food in the traditional banana leaf. Coimbatore is the best place for epicures. 

The city is well-connected in terms of public transport. Coimbatore International Airport not only caters to those who wish to travel to Tamil Nadu but also to those who want to travel to the western cities of Kerala. 

source: https://www[dot]mapsofindia[dot]com

Coimbatore Smart City: Citizen Services

You have access to a lot of services on the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation website. A few of them are listed below- 

• You can apply for a birth and death certificate online. 
• The municipality has updated all the ongoing and upcoming projects on their website for the public to see. 
• There is information available about water supply, waste management and sewage system-related information. 
• You can submit your building plans online for approval.
• The Municipality of Coimbatore has all the important information about the city compiled in the citizen charter available online. 
• You also have the option of paying your property tax online at https:/ccmc.gov.in. website. 
• The Coimbatore Municipality website also has a grievance redressal system. Online complaints can be registered.

FAQ’s about Smart City Coimbatore