Smart Cities

In the approach to the Smart Cities Mission, the objective is to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘Smart’ Solutions. The focus is on sustainable and inclusive development and the idea is to look at compact areas, create a replicable model which will act like a light house to other aspiring cities.

In Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam are the two cities selected under this program.

Kochi submitted its proposal for the all India Smart City challenge as a candidate city and bagged 5th position (selection / proposal rank) among 100 cities and became one of the first 20 cities to receive funding support. In March 2016 Government of Kerala incorporated Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under Companies Act 2013 to plan, design, implement, coordinate and monitor the smart city projects in Kochi.

Mission

Cochin Smart Mission Limited aims to achieve its vision with provision of efficient urban services, sustainable growth and ease of living. CSML aims at a planned and integrated development of the Central Business District and Fort Kochi-Mattancherry area by improving the civic infrastructure with the application of smart solutions thereby improving access to city amenities, clean and sustainable environment and livelihood promotion.

Urban Mobility

1) Intelligent City Surveillance System

The project has implemented city-wide CCTV surveillance in Kochi, featuring a cloud-based Video Management System and centralized data storage, including archiving. It uses an IoT Surveillance Management Platform with IP-based high-resolution fixed bullet/PTZ cameras. The system supports continuous, scheduled, motion, and event-based recording, with video retention for at least 365 days. It offers 24/7 event monitoring, online access to live and recorded video, role-based operator privileges, and video analytics both on the edge and in the VMS. Advanced features include big data analysis, AI, and deep learning. There is an Intelligent Crime Surveillance System which helps in preventing and solving crimes like theft, burglary, mob attacks, and riots, reducing such incidents.

2) Intelligent Traffic Management System

Objective: The ITMS project includes 104 cameras at 21 locations, 4 Pelican signals, 42 red light violation detection systems, and 5 variable message displays, costing ₹27.44 crore. ITMS uses intelligent traffic signals and area control systems to optimize signal timings, reducing congestion and improving efficiency

It uses sensors, cameras, and data systems for real-time traffic monitoring, helping police understand patterns and congestion. Adaptive signals adjust timings based on real-time conditions, optimizing flow and reducing delays. ITMS includes red-light violation detection, speed cameras, and automated enforcement systems to detect violations and generate digital evidence, improving safety.

3) The Integrated Command, Control, and Communication Center (IC4)

Objective: The Integrated Command, Control, and Communication Center (IC4) in Kochi will manage city operations, handle exceptions, and manage disasters. It will use real-time data from sensors and devices across utilities like water, waste, energy, mobility, and more. IC4 will enhance transparency in citizen services and officer accountability. Acting as a decision support system, IC4 will process data from various sources to enable real-time response by city administration.

Energy Efficiency

1) Grid connected Roof Top Solar Project

Objective: The project could generate around 1.46 million units of electricity per year on an annual average of 4 units per day per kW. Since January 2020, our solar plants have generated 2862 MWh of energy, resulting in revenue of 2.36 Crores and carbon savings of 1710 tons.

2) Smart LED Streetlights

Objective: To implement energy efficient LED streetlight fixtures with Intelligent dimming facility to reduce power consumption. Smart roads have contributed to savings of 1 lakh, while access roads have resulted in additional savings of 2 lakhs by energy cost saving to corporation. This strategic investment has proven to be highly efficient, reducing the electricity bill up to 53% and expected energy savings upto 41%, significantly lowering operational costs and enhancing sustainability. The availability of street lighting has also improved, with more than 98% of streetlights now operational, ensuring well-lit and safer public spaces for the community.

3) Pan City LED Streetlights

CSML is replacing existing lights with 40,400 energy-efficient LED lamps, exceeding national standards with an average of 15 lux illumination. With a 70% increase in energy efficiency, we are saving 1.54 Cr for Kochi Municipal Corporation. Through smart energy meters and city command control, CSML ushering in a brighter, greener future for Kochi. The project includes operational and maintenance responsibilities for a duration of five years.

Open Spaces & Tourism

Renovation of parks and open spaces:

CSML has renovated parks, open spaces, and major tourist destinations, while also creating new pocket parks and recreational areas.In the Ernakulam area, the Marine Drive walkway, a 2.4 km long stretch, has been transformed into an active corridor for people of all ages. Additionally, open spaces such as Rajendra Maidan, DH Ground, Subash Park, and PJ Antony Cultural Centre and Ground have been renovated to provide environments that encourage social interactions, outdoor exercise, play, and relaxation. Installation of amenities like toilets, feeding booths, and seating areas, improving the convenience and comfort for both residents and tourists.

Work in Tourist destinations:

Renovation of culturally significant sites, maintaining their historical value while making them more accessible and appealing has been attempted. Locations such as Fort Kochi Beach, Vasco da Gama Square, Nehru Park, Mattancherry Dutch Palace entry, Fort Kochi Jail Museum, RoRo Jetty, Veli Ground, and Jew Street have all been upgraded to attract more tourists and local visitors.

Health Infrastructure

The project focuses on the following:

Cancer Specialty Block at Ernakulam General Hospital on the southern side of the existing cancer block.
G + 2 building at the existing vacant area near Fort Kochi Taluk Hospital. Phase 1 development of a phased master plan for the hospital.
G+2 Building for Mattancherry Women & Children Hospital,
G + 2 building at the existing vacant area near Mattancherry Women & Children Hospital.

Education Infrastructure

New 4-storey block (G+3) for the Higher Secondary Section, replacing the existing multipurpose hall. This civil upgrade will create a better learning environment and accommodate the increasing needs of the student population, while also ensuring that the school can effectively cater to the demands of the dense residential areas surrounding it.

Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Limited is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) set up to implement the Smart City Mission of the Government of India with a project overlay of Rs. 1538 Cr. Thiruvananthapuram was selected in the third round of Smart City Selection and secured the first rank in the Smart City Challenge in 2017.

Specific Initiatives of Smart City Thiruvananthapuram

The Key initiatives are:

Road Maintenance and Management Cell- The Road Maintenance and Management Cell (RMMC) is aimed at enhancing the quality and efficiency of road management and maintenance.
Flood Water Level Monitoring and Early Warning System- aims to track and manage flood risks by providing real-time data on water levels. The proposal is to install water level monitoring sensors for 10 locations identified by the Kerala irrigation department.
Incubation Centre and Skill Development Centre at ICCC - Incubation Centers for Graduates are specialized facilities designed to support recent graduates and young entrepreneurs in turning their innovative ideas into successful businesses. ICCC Thiruvananthapuram provide support for the students such as resources, mentorship, and a collaborative environment to help bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world business application.
Smart Class Room- 215 classrooms have been completed in 6 phases in various government schools as part of Smart Class Room project. Apart from this, more than 100 classrooms have received administrative permission to make them smart. This project was implemented with the vision of developing an "e-smart" solution in government schools.

Major Projects in Thiruvananthapuram Smart City

Integrated Command & Control Centre

Integrated City Control Centre (ICCC) is envisaged to provide co-relative analytics that uses various analytics and co-relates them to provide deeper insight into the city’s problems. The analytics provide actionable items upon which city officials can take action.

ICCC project includes the construction of the building for ICCC at Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation and providing ICCC platform through system integration.

Traffic Safety Command Control Centre (TSCCC) Project

The objective of the TSCCC project is to develop an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) and adaptive traffic control system (ATCS) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the traffic on Trivandrum roads.

Solar City Project

Solar City project aims to install Solar Power Plants in Public Buildings in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The city of Thiruvananthapuram has been identified in Kerala to be developed as a ‘Solar/ RE City’. Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT) is the Nodal Agency for Solar city.

Multi-Level Car Parks (MLCPs)

Multilevel parking has been completed and inaugurated to cater to the basic parking facilities of the commuters at Thampanoor railway station in Thiruvananthapuram for parking more than 400 two,-wheelers and 22 four-wheelers.An electro-mechanical multi-level car parking in A-Block is located outside the Saphalyam Complex to cater to the needs of Secretariat staff and car parking of Palayam Market and surrounding commercial areas. Parking for 300 cars and EV charging facilities for 2 more cars. Also, facilities have been provided for parking about 220 two-wheelers in the open area. Apart from this, a multi-level parking facility for more than 400 four-wheeler vehicles is in progress at Putharikandam and Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.

Smart Road Project

As part of its Smart City Mission, SCTL undertakes the Development of Smart Roads and Underground Ducting Including Utility Shifting of Water Supply and Power lines in the ABD area Under Smart City Mission (Corporation Roads) in Thiruvananthapuram. The objective is to provide a world-class road experience to all road users by developing smart roads in Corporation Roads within the Thiruvananthapuram ABD area. This will include the upgradation and augmentation of carriageway and footpath, junctions, road markings, street furniture, bus bay, street landscaping works, electrical works, shifting of overhead utilities to underground, smart elements, and other items like the development with the upgradation of stormwater drainage facilities and surface improvement wherever required.

Integrated Social Housing Complex at Rajaji Nagar

Rajaji Nagar is a heavily populated, notified slum located spread over 12.6 acres in the core area of Thiruvananthapuram city. The slum is in Thampanoor ward (ward no. 81) having 967 dwelling units with 886 households belonging to 5 religions. Also, there are 71 shops and 5 office buildings. Most of the population in the slum do not have patta and therefore there will be an assumed ease of relocation and rehabilitation during the implementation phase.

Project Proposal

The Integrated Social Housing Complex for Slum Household Project at Rajaji Nagar Thiruvananthapuram- The First Phase of the colony aims at rehabilitation for 32 inhabitant families as an initial phase.

As a part of this DPR Phase-1 is taken for development which involves the development of 36 cents accommodating 32 dwelling units. The area to be achieved for each dwelling unit is approximately 700 sq.ft. area. Each dwelling unit will have a hall (Living cum dining area), 2 bedrooms (one bedroom with attached toilet), kitchen, 2 toilets & balcony area.

The project also include construction of Primary Health Centre at Rajaji Nagar and the same has been handed over to Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation.

Redevelopment of Palayam Market Including Pre Fab Structure and Pit Puzzle Parking

Palayam is located at the heart of Thiruvananthapuram and is a prominent commercial area in the city. Thiruvananthapuram Smart City proposal intends to redevelop the Palayam market complex under the module of Land-Use Efficiency under the Thiruvananthapuram Smart City Proposal (SCP). The Strategic Direction, guiding the strategic pillar is ‘Re-densification with creative land-use. The aim is to convert the market into a vibrant part-open market space with additional facilities like shopping outlets, food plazas, & storage godowns and a decentralized solid waste management facility(in-situ).The Redevelopment will retain the existing market gateway,which is of heritage value.

E-Mobility Projects

Procurement of Electric Buses to KSRTC – As part of the Smart City Mission E-Mobility project, Smart City Thiruvananthapuram, Municipal Corporation and KSRTC-SWIFT have jointly signed an agreement to procure 113 electric buses for KSRTC for city transport at a cost of Rs 104 crore. KSRTC is currently operating 50 green vehicles as part of its policy of gradually replacing diesel buses with green vehicles. With the addition of 113 newly arrived green vehicles, KSRTC will be able to provide useful services to people in various corners of the city using only green vehicles in the city circular services. Along with this SCTL purchased 30 numbers of E-Scooters, 15 Numbers of E-Autos and 100 numbers of E-Cart

Development of Cultural Street Manaveeyam Veedhi

Manaveeyam Veethi is a 225-meter road from Museum-Vellayambalam Road to Althara Junction.The street is famous for the many works of art displayed along the road and the many cultural performances it hosts. All facilities have been included to make Manaviyam Veethi a Cultural Veethi in every sense. Drinking water kiosks, food kiosks, streetlights and toilets have been constructed at the beginning and end of Manaviyam Vethi. Systems have also been devised to operate street-wide tree lighting and gobo projector lighting during cultural events.

City Beautification

Renovation of 1.5km Azangal footpath at Karamanayar, installation of solar streetlights in various municipal wards of Thiruvananthapuram, renovation of museums, lighting and renovation of famous statues of Thiruvananthapuram and also beautification of Shangumugham and civil station premises are being completed as part of Smart City’s city beautification project.

Redevelopment of Parks

The parks have key features like Modern amenities, Fitness stations, playgrounds with CCTV surveillance, Emergency Call Boxes and Display Boards.

The Parks redeveloped under Smart City Thiruvananthapuram are

Captain Lekshmi Park, Thiruvananthapuram
Sree Chithra Thirunal Park, Thiruvananthapuram
Open Air Theatre Putharikandom, Thiruvananthapuram
Sreekandeshwaram Temple Tank
Puthenchantha Temple Tank
Ponnara Sreedhar Park, Thiruvananthapuram
E K Nayanar Park- Tensile Roofing
EMS Park, Thiruvananthapuram
Gandhi Park Thiruvananthapuram

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers in urban infrastructure are a critical component of advancing sustainable transportation and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy. As cities, including Thiruvananthapuram, embrace the shift towards electric mobility, the deployment of EV chargers becomes essential for facilitating this transition, enhancing convenience for EV owners, and contributing to broader environmental goals. The project aims to install 13 nos EV charging Stations to promote Green Transport with ANERT as the implementing agency. The project includes 4 nos of 180 kW GBT (with 2 guns) & 9 nos of 60 kW CC2 type chargers. The total project cost is Rs.11.50 cr.

Procurement Projects

As part of Smart City Mission, Smart City Thiruvananthapuram initiated and completed the procurement of various equipment.

Refuse-Derived Fuel Plant- 2 numbers of RDF plants were purchased in order to convert the abandoned legacy wastes of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation which converts sorted solid wastes into fuel.
Gas Crematorium- SCTL installed 2 Gas crematoriums for the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation at Kazhakutam in order to cremate human bodies in the cremation furnace using the latest technologies.

Warehousing at Chalai

Thiruvananthapuram Master Plan 2012 (Draft) states that the city has 1 main market, 4 sub-markets, 7 main zonal markets, 46 local markets and 4 roadside markets. The proposed site is at a 2 km distance from the main market Chalai and the other markets are all within a 20 km circle. With the Kerala State Warehouse Corporation expressing a great demand for warehouse space within the city as all 5 warehouses have 100% occupancy and additional spaces are being hired to meet the current demand, the need for a warehouse in proximity to the main market is evident. The Kerala State Warehouse Corporation (KSWC) is functioning with 56 warehouses of which 42 are rented throughout the state. The warehouse would provide additional rental space for the KSWC.

Smart Citys