Silvassa, Erode among 9 new Smart Cities

New Delhi, January 19

Silvassa in Dadra and Nagar Haveli has topped the list of nine cities chosen in the fourth round of the National Smart Cities Challenge, said Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri here today.

The other eight cities selected in the challenge are Erode (Tamil Nadu), Diu (Daman and Diu), Biharsharif (Bihar); Bareilly, Moradabad and Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) and Kavaratti (Lakshwadeep).

Previously, 20 cities were selected in January 2016, 13 in May 2016, 27 in September 2016 and 30 cities in June 2017.

With nine new cities, the total number of Smart Cities has gone up to 99.

Addressing a press conference, the minister said the winning cities had improved the quality of their Smart City proposals by 19 per cent to become eligible for selection. Each city has developed a unique vision and has selected an area that will be developed as a lighthouse, to be replicated by the city. — TNS