The lack of a holistic, framework-based approach and a viable revenue model are stalling large-scale smart city projects in India, according to Gartner Inc.
As a result, many small pilot projects are underway, but no big citywide projects have been announced.
Gartner predicts that through 2020, less than 10 per cent of smart city projects implemented across India will be of a large-scale, city-wide nature.
"While many Indian cities have announced smart city projects, a structured approach in selecting these projects has thus far been missing from most city councils," Ganesh Ramamoorthy, research vice president at Gartner, said in a press release.
"To succeed, technology product management leaders of smart city products and services must focus on a long-term, consultative approach and innovative revenue models," he said.
A key benefit for city councils in the holistic, framework-based approach is that it takes into consideration the current state of the physical and IT infrastructure of the city, the city's challenges, the citizens' needs, and the existing capabilities of the city machinery to deliver critical services.
This approach helps identify the gaps in various hardware, software, network, connectivity, security and information management infrastructure that must be bridged to implement a scalable, future-proof and cost-effective smart city service delivery infrastructure.
Engaging early on with the key decision-making officials in city and state departments beyond IT, such as the departments of public works, utilities, state highways, and state urban and rural development, will help product managers of smart city products and solutions not only gain entry into large-scale physical infrastructure projects, but also offer the Internet of
Things (IoT) component that will help make physical infrastructure smart in the future.
However, project managers may find convincing officials of the benefits of high impact, long term smart city investments difficult.
