If you’re planning the next smart city, a few hundred acres of mostly uninhabited land would be an ideal spot.
That, however, is in short supply in India, where a new smart city will be built. This city will have a few more issues than most cities need to face right off the bat.
The land chosen for the city, somewhere between Mumbai and Delhi, is plentiful – but it lacks water and reliable electricity. It also poses the potential for ousting nearly 40,000 villagers, who will likely need to seek new homes within the city.
A Project on a Mega Scale
The smart city, which will be called Dholera after the existing town in the area, is a finalist in the Bentley Be Inspired Awards. Unsurprisingly, it is a contender in the Innovation in Megaprojects category.
The city will occupy approximately 920 km2, dwarfing the 679 km2 occupied by the entire nation state of Singapore. It will have access to potable water at all times of the day – which is not something that is taken lightly in India.
It is expected to take approximately 10 years and $1 billion to complete. It is certainly a megaproject by any standards.
Building a Smart City
With so many issues to confront before construction even begins, it’s no surprise that aspects usually left until later in city design are being handled early on.
Water use and management are a particular concern for Dholera. The system will be designed well in advance, using Bentley’s WaterGEMS water distribution planning software and StormCAD sewer planning software.
Dholera is the first major project in which the Indian government has mandated the use of building information modeling (BIM) software.
Advancing Industry
Dholera, impressive on its own, is part of a larger plan created by the government of India to revitalize the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).
City planners are hoping that the construction of a smart city in this corridor will attract new industries such as defense, automotive and aerospace to Dholera. New industry in the area will improve aspects such as employment levels, quality of life and industrial output.
After all, even a city of industry ought to be someplace where its residents want to live.
For more information on the Dholera project, please visit the project’s website.