Tech-enabled roads to be expedited under Smart Cities Mission

 The government will fast-track the development of tech-enabled roads in the central business district, besides sprucing up the city's historical markets under the Bengaluru Smart Cities Mission.

It would lay at least seven km 'Smart SURE' roads, a term the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike uses for streets with the Internet of Things-enabled solutions for citizens.  These roads will be a part of the 51.6-km of TenderSURE roads in the heart of the city.

KR Market, Russell Market and the Malleswaram market will also see significant upgrades as part of the project.  "We already have detailed project reports (DPRs) ready for these projects," said Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) Mahendra Jain.

Jain also chairs the Bengaluru Smart City special purpose vehicle (SPV), which is to meet for the first time later this month to discuss implementing the projects.

"A Smart SURE road is essentially a TenderSURE road with smart technology components," Jain explained.

According to the BBMP's proposal, these roads will have 50 smart card-enabled public bicycle sharing points, 30 e-rickshaw stands, 35 e-toilets, water ATMs, 420 sensor-based smart dustbins and 50 designated vending kiosks - all of which will be linked to 1,250 smart telecom towers doubling up as street light poles.

These roads will also have Wi-Fi connectivity. According to an official, smart telecom towers will control IoT-based solutions such as smart parking and smart dustbins.

KR Market will have loading-unloading bays for efficient vehicle movement, smart dustbins, a five-tonne capacity biomethane plant, 900 smart vendor kiosks, and an app-enabled multi-level car park, among others.

The Malleswaram market precinct is slated to get a parking facility for 375 cars, a water treatment plant, CCTV surveillance and energy-efficient lighting.

Besides a beef market, the Russell market will have improved TenderSURE roads and a pedestrian bridge, linking it to the Shivajinagar bus stand.

These projects are part of a  Rs 2,090-crore effort to smarten Bengaluru, which was shortlisted under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet Smart Cities Mission in its third attempt.

Authorities expect Rs 500 crore each from the Centre and state government, besides pooling in funds through public-private partnership and contributions from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation and other agencies.