Smart City firm set to shut operations by March 20
After nearly nine years, the operations of the Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) will be closed down by March 20. The Board of Directors has decided to transfer all projects under the Smart Cities Mission to the respective departments before that date.
Launched in 2015, the mission was aimed at introducing transformative urban governance reforms in 100 selected cities across India. Chandigarh was selected under the Fast Track Round in May 2016, leading to the establishment of the CSCL. The company was tasked with executing infrastructure improvements, urban mobility projects, sanitation initiatives and integrated digital solutions.
According to officials, a total of Rs 853 crore has been spent on 36 projects, while Rs 53 crore is still pending for operational expenditures. Major investments under the mission include Rs 304 crore for setting up sewage treatment plants and Rs 334 crore for constructing an Integrated Command and Control Centre. The remaining funds were allocated to ancillary projects aimed at enhancing urban infrastructure.
While the Smart Cities Mission was initially set to conclude on June 30, 2024, the Government of India extended it until March 31, 2025. However, no budgetary allocation for the mission was made in the Union Budget 2025-26, presented on February 1.
The CSCL board has also directed officials to complete the animal carcass incineration plant by the end of February. The project, once operational, will be handed over to the Municipal Corporation before the mission’s closure. At present, over 150 animal carcasses are buried each month across the city. The new facility will ensure their scientific disposal in compliance with Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) guidelines.
The project faced a significant opposition from residents at proposed sites in Sector 25, Sector 38, Dadu Majra and Industrial Area, Phase 1, leading to multiple relocations before the final site was approved at Raipur Kalan.
The execution and maintenance of these projects will now rest with the respective departments, marking the end of Chandigarh’s dedicated smart city implementation agency.
The key projects developed under the Smart City Mission include upgrading of sewage treatment plants (STPs), 24X7 water supply, implementation of Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Sector 17 and rejuvenation of Sector 17.
No allocation for Smart Cities in Union Budget
While the Smart Cities Mission was initially set to conclude on June 30, 2024, the Government of India extended it until March 31, 2025. No budgetary allocation for the mission was made in the Union Budget 2025-26, presented on February 1.
Rs 853 crore spent on 36 projects in city
According to officials, a total of Rs 853 crore has been spent on 36 projects, while Rs 53 crore is still pending for operational expenditures. Major investments under the mission include Rs 304 crore for setting up sewage treatment plants and Rs 334 crore for constructing an Integrated Command and Control Centre.
