Microsoft Corp has selected Surat in the Indian state of Gujarat to develop it as India’s first ‘smart city’ under the company’s CityNext initiative launched in 2013. Under the ‘Smart City’ initiative, Microsoft aims to use a combination of cloud technology, mobile applications, data analytics and social networks to provide real-time data of all civic services. Systems will also be developed to tackle natural disasters more effectively with the use of information technology.
“For example, if any person wants to know the location of a doctor in the city, they can easily get it on their mobile with the apps that will be developed by Microsoft,” deputy commissioner of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), C Y Bhatt said.
The project is likely to start by end of May 2014. Besides, Microsoft Corp will help the SMC develop a virtual world at the Science Center of the city that will have a virtual wall.
“This will be a component of the project under development of the Surat as a first smart city of the country,” municipal commissioner Manoj Das said.
Das said the civic body is planning to enhance present systems where digital world is integrated with real world in all aspects. Information systems would also be developed that will give accurate data on virtually anything and everything about Surat. A Microsoft team visited an existing SMC facility of e-governance in all the departments and the project envisages making this facility more user-friendly.
The town planning department work will also be made simpler in the ‘smart city’ project. At present, developers have to visit the town planning department frequently to get their plans sanctioned.
“However with new app that is being developed, an architect could submit the plan online and track the progress. This will save a lot of time, money and energy on both sides and reduce delays,” the director of planning, Jivan Patel, said.