MMRDA’s plan to make BKC a smart city out in cold water

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has put its ambitious project of making Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) into India’s first mini smart city in cold water. Three months after R-Infra walked out of the project despite winning the contract, MMRDA is yet chalking out a plan on the future course of action for executing the project.

The authority claims that it is now studying other models that could be replicated in the bid documents along with features such as parking, free hi-speed WiFi internet, solar-powered street lights with motion sensors, advanced CCTV networks.

MMRDA had awarded the project to R-Infra earlier this year, on a design, develop, implement, operate and maintain basis for around Rs 75 crore as quoted by R-Infra, which included WiFi hotspots, smart parking, CCTV surveillance and a citizen mobile application. However, the company walked out of the project in August citing reasons that they didn’t receive any formal intimation or letter of intent from the MMRDA.

MMRDA metropolitan commissioner Mr Pravind Darade was unavailable for comment. A senior MMRDA official, said, “We are studying various models and trying to replicate them in our bid documents. The reason why the bids were not floated back after the fallout in August. Now, after studying other models we will float bids for the second time.”

Previously, other than Reliance, Larsen & Toubro was in the fray and had quoted Rs 107 crore for the project.