Principal Investigator: Dr. Manisha Paliwal

Co-Investigators: Dr. Nutan Samdani, Dr. Anurodh Khanuja, Dr. Ajita Pandit, Mr. Binish Surendran

This research project, funded by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) under the Vision Viksit Bharat initiative, focuses on assessing the impact of digital public infrastructure in promoting social inclusivity in Pimpri Chinchwad, a key city under India’s Smart Cities Mission. The key objective of this study is to evaluate the role of digital infrastructure in promoting inclusive governance and citizen-centric services in smart cities. The study evaluates the effectiveness of various digital platforms and initiatives introduced under various smart cities of India and Pimpri Chinchwad Smart City Ltd. (PCSCL), aiming to promote urban development that is inclusive and accessible to all residents, particularly marginalized communities. The findings will provide valuable insights into how technology can be leveraged to ensure equitable access to urban services and foster social inclusivity. As a part of this project, the project team has visited several smart cities like Sagar Smart City, Ujjain Smart City, Indore Smart City, Tumakuru Smart City, Davangere Smart City, Bhubaneshwar Smart City, New Town Kolkata Smart City, Shillong Smart City as a case study and assimilated insights into the impact of various initiatives of these smart cities on citizen engagement and inclusivity.