‘Smart city project threat to democracy’

Terming the smart city project ‘a threat to democracy’, the Forum for Urban Governance and Commons has urged the State government to reject it. The forum said that the smart city concept is unconstitutional, bypasses democratically elected governments and provides executive power to bureaucrats and corporate entities.

At a press conference here on Friday, Kshitij Urs, co-convenor, Forum for Urban Governance and Commons, said that the smart city project being introduced in India is nothing but a duplication of a similar practice in the United States.

“Most of major cities in the U.S. that have been subjected to this project, are reeling under insurmountable debt today because of the implementation of cost-intensive mega projects as decided by a corporate elite. The local government and people had no control over these decisions,” Mr. Urs said.

Loss of control

He added that the decision-making and implementation of works under the smart city project will be done by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which will be registered as a private company.

“As per the provisions of the project, councillors will have to transfer their constitutional rights of making decisions to the SPV. The SPV, which is unaccountable to the people, has been allowed to usurp the powers of the local government,” he said.

Forum says smart city concept provides executive power to bureaucrats and corporate entities