IIM-Indore to help decongest Kanpur, improve quality of life with 'smart' solutions

Kanpur, Aug 27 (PTI) The Indian Institute of Management-Indore and Kanpur civic bodies on Friday entered into an agreement to develop this Uttar Pradesh city under the 'Smart City' initiative, officials said.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between IIM-Indore, Kanpur Smart City Limited (KSCL), Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) and Kanpur Police Commissionerate, they said.

According to the MoU, valid for three years, the stakeholders will focus on implementing the 'Indore model' of cleanliness in order to establish Kanpur as an "international industrial hub" and improve the "quality of life" for residents.

The focus will also be on decongesting public spaces by reorganising street vendors from unauthorised areas and improving the road traffic movement.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Kanpur Division Municipal Commissioner Raj Shekhar, who also heads both KSCL and KDA, Police Commissioner Asim Arun and IIM (Indore) Director Prof Himanshu Rai.  "The agreement has been signed to achieve the objectives of the clean, safe and prosperous Kanpur with an effective mobility services," Divisional Commissioner Raj Shekhar said.

Police Commissioner Asim Arun said the MoUs have been signed with an objective to update timing of traffic signals in the smart city and to develop smart parkings.

"Work on the project would begin soon and we are hopeful of significant and comprehensive improvement in the traffic and parking situation," he added.

Prof Rai said, "The idea is to make Kanpur an international-level industrial hub for which it is mandatory to improve the quality of life of residents here and cleanliness is a major constituent of that." "Indore is known for its cleanliness. We plan to bring the Indore Model of cleanliness in Kanpur and adopt best practices of waste segregation and plan traffic management through information, education and communication (IEC)," he said.

A panel of IIM-Indore experts, headed by Rai, will also draft a plan for facilitating street vendors with an objective to have a more organised system in place.

For road traffic management, he said the plan is to adopt the Indore model and take the help of Google Satellite images for real-time monitoring.  "Engineering solutions like construction and deconstruction could also be made. Like, we shall study if a particular crossing needs a roundabout or if any existing roundabout needs to be removed in order to facilitate smooth movement," the IIM director added.

PTI KIS TIR SRY