GIFT: India’s first Smart City
Since the day Modi assumed office, smart cities have become the latest buzzword for the real estate sector. As per BJP’s manifesto, there is a plan to develop 100 smart cities. While some of the existing cities will be transformed into smart cities, a few are also expected to start from scratch. And Gujarat International Financial Tec-City, popularly known as GIFT is a perfect example of a smart city that is being built from scratch.
Strategically located on the banks of River Sabarmati, GIFT City is just at a distance of 12km from Ahmedabad International Airport. Being centrally located in the state of Gujarat, it boasts of easy accessibility to both Ahmedabad (25km) via Airport Road and NH-8 and to Gandhinagar (13.5km) by Gandhinagar Bypass Road.
Before we delve into the intricacies of India’s first Smart City, let’s understand why do we need such cities? It is no hidden truth that the country’s population is increasing at a rapid pace. By 2030, an increase of about 70 per cent in the urban population is expected. To accommodate this, India will have to build new cities, and that too bigger than New York, every year. Thus, the only solution to bulging cities is to have self-sufficient smart cities that will accommodate more people in less space.
With the vision to design a CBD that will serve as a paradigm for next class city in terms of quality of life, infrastructure and ambience, GIFT City is all set to change the skylines of Gujarat and India at large. Spread across 886 acres, this dream city project is worth approximately Rs 70,000 crore.
As per the master plan, it is broadly divided into three parts, commercial, residential and social facilities. The commercial wing will house several office space, retail centres hotels and local shopping centres. Residential segment will have residential units offering an array of property options that will promote walk-to-work concept. And social infrastructure will include educational institutions, healthcare centres and many more.
Transit Oriented Development
Once while addressing the conference by NAREDCO, Amitabh Kant, MD, DMIC said “Transit oriented development is the need of the hour. We need to build compact dense and vertical cities with a great transportation system. He further added that answers to futuristic and sustainable habitats come from our neighbours in the east rather than the west and there is a lot we can learn from countries like Singapore, China and Japan. ”
GIFT seems to be working on the similar lines. In order to promote ‘walk-to-work’ concept, major commercial areas, workplaces and institutional nodes have all been encompassed under TOD. This smart city encourages public transportation with zero accident rate and pedestrian-oriented internal movement, which gives it a complete urban look and feel. Also, there are provisions for BRTS, MRTS and multi-modal transport hub.
Being a smart city, it offers several tech-benefits to its residents. Some of the major ones are high-speed fiber network, high-speed internet access, Wi-Fi and diverse local and international connectivity.
What’s new?
Interestingly, GIFT city will not have a conventional air-conditioned system. This smart city will be using a technology named Direct Cooling, which is way more efficient when it comes to energy saving. Also, it is cost efficient and improves air quality. Such practices are already prevalent in countries such as US, Sweden, Finland, UAE, and Netherlands. Thus, GIFT city will be first in India to use this advanced technology.
Though the plan of 100 cities may seem like a dream now. But with this blue print, government can surely work in this direction.
