SMART

Opportunities and
recommendations to
help New Town Kolkata
become a model for
urban innovation in India.

CITY KOLKATA
NEW TOWN

ROADMAP
ENERGY
Future Cities Catapult 2016
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 3

URBAN INDIA  4

NEW TOWN NOW  7

SMART CITY ACADEMY  8

ECONOMIC PROFILE  10

CITIZEN PROFILES  14

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES  17

INNOVATION OPPORTUNITIES  18

1. CIVIC IDEAS ACCELERATOR  19

2. ONE-STOP-SHOP  25

3. CONNECTED CITY  31

URBAN DATA  36

INNOVATION FRAMEWORK  38

RECOMMENDATIONS  39

CONTRIBUTORS  44

2
 INTRODUCTION
New Town Kolkata plans to be a
model for urban innovation in India.

By adopting innovative practices and smart services for its

citizens, New Town Kolkata — situated on the northeastern
fringe of east India’s cultural capital — hopes to thrive. It will
build a prosperous economy, protect its environment and
improve quality of life for all of its citizens.

New Town is already on the map as a city with real potential.

Recently shortlisted in the Government of India’s 100 Smart
Cities Mission, it plans to secure a place as a finalist. In doing
so it will unlock investment in excess of $150 million to kick-
start the delivery of its ambitious plans . 
1

Future Cities Catapult has worked with key stakeholders

in New Town to develop a proposal that is rooted in local
needs and strategic priorities. Supported by the UK Foreign
ENERGY & Commonwealth Office’s Prosperity Fund, we have provided
independent, expert support to New Town’s authorities, to
help them realise their ambition and secure investment.

This Roadmap summarises the first stage of our

collaboration. Intended both for New Town’s leaders and
for suppliers seeking new business, it articulates opportunity
areas in the city and provides a starting point
to help shape, guide and implement strategic priorities over
the coming years.
1   Government of India Ministry of Urban Development, 2015

2 3
 TAJIKISTAN

URBAN INDIA AFGHANISTAN

$7.1 BILLION
SMART CITIES
One of Earth’s fastest-growing nations embarks on
an ambitious urban transformation programme.
CHINA
MISSION
PAKISTAN

NEPAL

In the last decade, Indian cities have experienced
rapid urbanisation. Nearly a third of India’s 1.3
billion people now live in cities, with Delhi’s
population growing by 4.1 per cent every year,
followed by Mumbai and Kolkata with growth rates
of 3.1 and 2 per cent respectively 2. At the same
time, advances in technology are changing the way
Indians live and work.
URBAN GROWTH IN INDIA
Nearly a third of people live in cities
Bringing these stories together, the Government BHUTAN
of India has embarked on an ambitious urban
transformation programme, with initiatives such as
the 100 Smart Cities Mission and Atal Mission for
Urban Rejuvenation and Transformation, totalling
BANGLADESH
a combined investment of $14.5 billion over the
next five years3.
The 100 Smart Cities Mission is a $7.1 billion
initiative that will see cities across India compete to
MYANMAR
receive investment from India’s Ministry of Urban (BURMA)
Development 4, to help them become more efficient
and effective places. With match funding from
state governments, the total available for successful
cities is around $150 million over five years 5.

NEW TOWN
1.3
In fact, India’s smart city project is part of a much
larger $1.5 trillion6 global market opportunity — one
that will see smart city pioneers transform themselves
KOLKATA
BILLION not just through public funding, but private
(INDIA POPULATION) investment from foreign and domestic industries
working in the urban innovation sector, too.

CITY GROWTH RATE 35 STATES

98 CITIES
With its culture of innovation, India is pioneering DELHI 4.1%
new technological initiatives of which many
countries are envious. Digital India, for instance,
is an impressive plan to create pervasive digital MUMBAI 3.1%
infrastructure, provide services electronically and
improve technological literacy across the nation. $150 MILLION SRI LANKA
KOLKATA 2.0% PER CITY OVER 5 YEARS
2 PwC ‘India: Surging to a smarter future’, 2015
3   Government of India Ministry of Urban Development, 2015
4   Government of India Ministry of Urban Development, 2015
5
6
  Government of India Ministry of Urban Development, 2015
UK Trade & Investment, 2015
$75 MILLION FROM GOVERMENT OF INDIA

$75 MILLION FROM STATE GOVERNMENT

4 5
 NEW TOWN
NOW
HOOGHLY
A young city with bold aspirations that is
establishing its identity.
NORTH 24 PARGANAS
New Town is a 12,000-acre planned development The city hopes to benchmark itself against leading
to the northeast of Kolkata that is being built from cities and developments in the wider southeast
scratch. It hopes to become the hub for business Asian region, including Singapore and Kuala
services and high-value economic activities in Lumpur. However, in order for New Town to emerge
the wider eastern India region. Currently home as a truly competitive global economic hub, it must
to 36,000  residents with a visiting population of define its economic function — and therefore its
80,000 every day 7, it is expected that its population urban ambitions — in a wider global landscape.
will grow to nearly 1 million residents and a
transient population of nearly half a million in the
next decade 8.

While New Town’s proximity to Kolkata will

have a profound impact on its success, the new
development is defining its own economic function
based on key sectors — including finance, ICT,
INTERNATIONAL healthcare and education. A number of leading
AIRPORT businesses, including TATA, Wipro and Accenture,
have already opened offices in its business district,
taking advantage of the tax-free property incentives
NEW TOWN provided by the state.

HOWRAH KOLKATA

SALT LAKE

7 Informal discussions with city authority and key stakeholders

SOUTH 24 PARGANAS 8 NISG ‘Smart City Development Plan for New Town Kolkata’, 2015

KOLKATA
6 7
 3. SMART
3. SMART CITY CITYFRAMEWOR
ROADMAP ROADMA
1. CITYACADEMY
ACADEMY - WORKSHOP

SMART CITY
1. CITY - WORKSHOP

CITY
CITY
ACADEMY
ACADEMY
1 CITY ACADEMY WORKSHOP INNOVATION
FRAMEWORK
INNOVATION
FRAMEWORK
OPPORTU

ACADEMY
SMART
SMART
A two-day boot camp for
CITY cityCITIZEN
leaders
CITY andCITIZEN
ROADMAP PROFILES
ROADMAP
other stakeholders to help them navigatePROFILES
STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES
1
the smart cities marketplace. The workshop 2
STRA
TEGY

identifies each city’s strategic priorities and 3

TEGY
STRA

the needs of its citizens.

Objective advice to help cities develop

their own smart strategy.

Future Cities Catapult has developed a four-stage 4. SUPPLIER CHALLENGE

process called the Smart City Academy to help
2. USES CASES 4. SUPPLIER CHA
cities like New Town make sense of the complexity
of smart city solutions. Through a series of
collaborative workshops, it helps cities understand
2. USES CASES 2 INNOVATION OPPORTUNITIES

their strategic priorities, imagine solutions that are A series of case studies to illustrate
relevant to their citizens, and create a roadmap to opportunities in the city based on the results of
outline how they could be implemented. the workshop. Examples of global best practice
provide inspiration and suggest how similar
initiatives may work in each city’s context.
Smart solutions are only sensible if they address
the needs of citizens in the long-term. That is why
Future Cities Catapult takes a user-centred design
approach — in this case, with our multidisciplinary
team of data scientists, anthropologists and
economists working with city leaders and 3. SMART CITY ROADMAP FRAMEWORK
administrators from New Town — to understand 1. CITY ACADEMY - WORKSHOP
what is important to the city and its citizens. We
combined these insights with secondary research,
high-level analysis of national statistical data and
CITY
ACADEMY
INNOVATION
FRAMEWORK
3 SMART CITY ROADMAP
OPPORTUNITIES
evaluation of global best practice to create a series of SMART A high-level report to kick-start the city’s
CITY CITIZEN
findings that are detailed in the rest of this report. ROADMAP PROFILES
STRATEGIC 1 innovation strategy. With quantitative and
PRIORITIES qualitative analysis, findings from the
2 workshops and potential opportunities, it
STRA
TEGY

Exploring major development sites in New Town

3 provides a springboard for the city’s
smart vision.

4. SUPPLIER CHALLENGE

2. USES CASES
4 SUPPLIER CHALLENGE

The first step in applying the smart city

strategy. In collaboration with UKTI and other
partners, Future Cities Catapult will challenge
potential suppliers to provide technical
solutions to the city’s needs.

8 9
 ECONOMIC
PROFILE
New Town’s potential for growth at a local
and international scale.

Successful cities understand their economic
purpose, the opportunities open to them to enable
growth, and the abilities they can exploit to achieve
it. Here, we identify New Town’s place in the wider
economic context, investigate its strengths and
outline potential economic challenges it may face
in the coming years.
WEST BENGAL While West Bengal’s GSDP is one of the highest population density. But it also highlights the
A LUCRATIVE ECONOMY FACING A among Indian states, its per capita output (Net State productivity challenge facing the state and the gap to
Domestic Product) falls below the national average, be bridged for West Bengal to be as productive, and
PRODUCTIVITY GAP
struggling compared to Karnataka, Maharashtra competitive, as the rest of India.
The state of West Bengal is India’s sixth largest and Delhi. This is partly due to the state’s high
economy based on economic output 9. Its Gross
State Domestic Product (GSDP) is dominated by
the service industry and has remained stable
since 2010, growing around 9 per cent per year.
Its neighbours include other Indian states WEST BENGAL STATE ECONOMY
​Productivity benchmarking with other states (NSDP)
such as Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam as well
as Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, providing
opportunities for significant growth.
THOUSANDS

I
120 DELH
WEST BENGAL STATE ECONOMY
Composition by sector (GSDP)
100
re

st e
s
du tiv
tu

rie
ry

in rac
ul

st

in
ric

re

sh

t
Ex
Ag

Fo

Fi

PRIMARY 80

20% PRIMARY INDUSTRIES

MAHAR
ASHTRA
s
al
tic

60
ac &
eu
g

m s

$120
in

ar cal

s
ic
er

s
ile
m
en avy

ph i
ne

em

ra

xt
gi

KARNATAKA
Te
e

Ce
Ch
H

BILLION 15% SECONDARY 40

NATIONAL AVERAGE
MANUFACTURING AL
(TOTAL GSDP IN 2014) WEST BENG
n

20
tio
te

s
ra

nt
ta

st &
g
ist

ra
es

in

re tels
ad blic

au
in

nk
al

o
Ba
Re

Pu

65%
H

TERTIARY 0
04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14
SERVICES

YEAR (2000)
Data: Reserve Bank of India and UK Trade & Investment, 2013; Analysis: BuroHappold Data: Reserve Bank of India; Analysis: BuroHappold

9 UK Trade & Investment, 2013

10 11
KOLKATA NEW TOWN
A STRONG SERVICE ECONOMY WITH AN AMBITIOUS ECONOMIC VISION
HIGH GROWTH POTENTIAL
One of the world’s most densely populated cities A recent study estimates the overall GDP of Kolkata New Town aspires to become a leading economic New Town is already profitable. In just nine years
with 4.5 million inhabitants, Kolkata is a global to be around $28 billion, with trade and services centre of Asia and a benchmark for other city its development authorities have successfully
city and epicentre of the eastern region’s economic making up approximately 90 per cent of the total 10. developments across India. As a new city, it benefits established a central business district and the early
activity. It acts as a hub, driving the economy of When benchmarked per capita, the economy is less from developmental freedom: it can adopt best stages of finance, health and education hubs with
the surrounding states through industry, financial productive than other major Indian cities and is not practices, use cutting edge solutions and define its the likes of Punjab National Bank, Tata Medical
services and commercial activities. This is partly expected to reach the scale of Bangalore or Mumbai. own economic purpose at every stage. Centre and two new universities moving in. This
the result of its geographical situation: as east However, its growth rate is predicted to trail only has largely been enabled by a strategy of land
India’s major urban centre, other nearby cities have Bangalore, suggesting the economy will thrive in monetisation and tax incentives to attract business
comparatively smaller populations with limited the coming decade. and investment.
economic and employment opportunities. CONCEPTUAL MAP OF NEW TOWN KOLKATA
Hubs of early economic activity At a state level, New Town’s fast-growth model has
shaped a new township policy. West Bengal recently
KOLKATA CITY ECONOMY announced the development of six new, specialised
Productivity benchmarking with other indian cities townships: Asansol (industry), Dumurjala (sports),
ACTION Dabgram (health and education), Baruipur
THOUSANDS
AREA II (geriatrics), Bolpur (arts and culture) and Kalyani
(analytics).
25
144% New Town must now play to its strengths and
establish its own well-defined economic function — 
20 an ability still afforded by its simple governance
100% structure, ease of doing business and relatively low
administrative barriers.
15
140% 71% 135% ACTION
ACTION AREA III
AREA I
10

5 HEALTH & CULTURE IT

• Ecopark • Infosys
• TATA Cancer • Wipro
• Seniors’ Park • Info Space
0 • New Town Plaza • Eco Space
KOLKATA DELHI MUMBAI BANGALORE CHENNAI • Rabindra Tirtha
EDUCATION
FINANCE • IIT Kharagpur
GDP per capita 2010 GDP per capita 2025 % GROWTH • Financial Hub • Amity University
• Punjab National Bank • University of Engineering
Data: Reserve bank of India; Analysis: BuroHappold & Management

10 McKinsey ‘Urban World: Mapping the economic power of cities’, 2011

12 13
CITIZEN
PROFILES
What the people of New Town want, need
and expect from their city.

With so many products and services available in

the smart cities marketplace, deciding what to
purchase, where to invest and how to prioritise
efforts is complex. But understanding citizen
needs can reveal what is most relevant to the local
context.

These user profiles represent the types of people

living and working in New Town. Developed
MALAY • 55 ESH • 32 AASHI • 24
through in-depth interviews and research, they
act as a tool to help city officials, businesses and Project manager living in a large Property developer who has taken Maid living in a small house near
apartment with his wife, children over a medium-sized business from the Khal with her husband and
investors build a picture of New Town’s challenges
and elderly mother his father children
from the citizens’ perspective — then imagine
solutions that can help meet those needs.

These profiles are combined with New Town’s

strategic priorities later in the report to develop a
series of potential innovation opportunities upon
which the city could capitalise.

ABHISHEK • 20 GARATI • 41 VISHAKA • 27

Computer science student at Former teacher who now stays at Finance consultant for Wipro living
Techno India College living with his home to care for her children and in a small gated community with
parents in Barrackpore elderly parents her husband

JAMES • 41 SANJAY • 27 LAKSHMAN • 74

Architect from the U.S. setting up Construction worker living in Retired landscape architect who
a new business and home with his a hutment with other migrant was involved in planning the Eco
family in New Town labourers Park in New Town

14 15
 STRATEGIC
PRIORITIES
How New Town plans to become a more
intelligent, inclusive and prosperous place.

Understanding citizens’ needs is a valuable These priorities are combined with New Town’s

The City Academy Workshop

exercise in defining the problems a city must citizen needs later in the report to develop a set of
tackle. The way it chooses to solve them, however, potential innovation opportunities upon which the
can have a profound effect on the way the city city could capitalise.
operates in the future.

Here, we identify a series of key strategic priorities

for New Town. Generated through workshops and
interviews with city leaders, they represent the
fundamental ambitions of the city and define the
approaches it will use to provide new products and
services for its citizens.

BOOST INWARD INVESTMENT PROVIDE MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT

Demonstrate a coherent value Ensure workers are safe, satisfied and
proposition to encourage investors well-paid

STREAMLINE ADMINISTRATION INVOLVE CITIZENS IN SHAPING

Make it easier for residents and THE CITY
businesses to interact with the city Help people share and implement their
own civic plans

CREATE A VIBRANT CULTURAL SCENE PROCURE CUTTING-EDGE

Encourage arts, activities, festivals and INFRASTRUCTURE
food vendors Connect New Town, digitally and
physically, with WiFi and transport routes

MAKE STREETS INCLUSIVE GREEN THE CITY

Ensure the city is a safer, smarter space Protect the environment, generate
for everyone to use renewable energy and build beautiful
public spaces

OPTIMISE INFRASTRUCTURE USE

Use data and analytics to improve
efficiency

16 17
INNOVATION
OPPORTUNITIES
Visions for a future New Town where
city priorities meet citizen needs.
Based on the emerging strategic priorities and citizen
needs in New Town, we have developed three potential
opportunities that illustrate how the city could use
innovative practices to improve the life of its citizens
and invigorate the economy.
These case studies draw on examples of international
best practice to describe how new products, services
and technologies could be used to create a smarter
New Town. We hope they serve as a source of
inspiration to help city officials shape their own
overarching smart strategy.
18
CIVIC IDEAS 1
ACCELERATOR
ENABLING CITIZENS TO SHAPE THE CITY
VISHAKA • 27
VISHAKA WANTS TO START A
COMMUNITY FOOD MARKET CLOSE
TO HER HOME
The Civic Ideas Accelerator is an interactive platform
where citizens can share ideas for projects in their
neighbourhood, and receive funding and support to
deliver them.
Citizens upload ideas to the platform to collect votes
from other residents and attract funding from New
Town’s authorities. They can access professional
support at the Incubator Space to help ensure their
project’s success.
The Civic Ideas Accelerator crowdsources locally relevant
projects, de-risks public investments and helps build
empowered, resilient communities.
19
 CHALLENGE OPPORTUNITY

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

PLATFORM
LOGOUT

1 VISHAKA UPLOADS HER PROJECT

MY IDEA
Send for review & approva
IDEA ONTO THE PLATFORM
Citizens respond to an open call or
challenge from the city authority by
completing an online application, which is
reviewed before becoming visible to the
l
public
As a relatively new city with 36,000 residents,
New Town’s population is growing slower than
originally expected against a forecast of 1 million
residents. While there is ample investment in
essential infrastructure like clean water, renewable
electricity and public transport, there is not yet a
critical mass of people living in the city to stimulate
a vibrant social, cultural and community scene.
Without knowing their neighbours, people can feel
isolated and sometimes unsafe in the area.
New Town will be home to a diverse mix of
residents from different cultures and professions,
many of whom have ideas for how to improve
their community and local area. The city authority
can enable citizens to turn these grassroots ideas
into live projects by providing access to grant
funding, vacant spaces and new skills. By enabling
citizens to design local services and initiatives, the
community will be empowered to create its own
culture of innovation.

SOLUTION
2 HER PROJECT REACHES 1,000
WELCOME VISHAK A LOGOUT

MY IDEA
COMMUNITY VOTES
1,000 VOTE S
The Civic Ideas Accelerator is an interactive platform where citizens can
Other residents can vote for a project they share ideas for projects in their neighbourhood with other residents and city
want to see in their area, which helps the city officials. Bringing crowdsourcing together with local funding and professional
authority decide where to invest mentorship, the platform gives citizens the tools they need to make New Town a
RESIDENTS

OTHE R great place to live.

USER INTERFACE
The online platform allows
individuals or groups to
upload their ideas, share
them with the community

3 SHE MEETS UP WITH LOCAL PROJECT

ORGANISERS AT THE INCUBATOR
SPACE
and city leaders, and find
resources to deliver them

Citizens can attend workshops and classes

to get advice from professionals and share
experiences with other people running
projects locally DELIVERY STRUCTURE
A consortium of delivery
partners collects and
administers the funding,
checks the suitability of
projects and evaluates
their success

4
VISHAKA HOSTS THE FIRST
COMMUNITY MARKET WITH LOCAL
ENTREPRENEURS DATASTORE
Data on vacant properties,
retail spaces and
With local connections and access to
local partners is made
suitable space, project organisers can
accessible for project
collaborate with other projects and social
organisers to help them
enterprises
plan and deliver their
projects successfully

20 21
KEY USERS
CITIZENS
with ideas for projects in their
local area
EXAMPLES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
THE OPEN WORKS (UK)
An experiment in mass participation
The Open Works was a 9-month
scheme where 1,000 people took
part in 20 projects in a London
neighbourhood to investigate
how small acts of participation
combine to create long-term
change. It demonstrated that
a critical mass of individuals
can have a profound impact on
a neighbourhood — at a cost
representing a small percentage of
typical public spending.
www.theopenworks.org
22
CITY OFFICIALS
looking to prioritise investment
of public funds
NEIGHBORLAND (US)
Connecting civic leaders with
residents
Neighborland is a social network
connecting civic authorities
with residents — to listen to
their views, develop insights,
discuss new initiatives and
deliver new services. It provides
cities with otherwise unavailable
human-centered design tools
in order to empower citizens
in the development of their
communities. Cities including San
Francisco, Portland and Houston
have used the service.
www.neighborland.com
INVESTORS
interested in local
regeneration or sponsorship
SPACEHIVE (UK)
Crowdfunding urban development
projects
Spacehive is a crowdfunding
platform helping citizens secure
investment to regenerate public
spaces. The site allows people to
share ideas so others can pledge
money to the cause. So far it is
funded 68 projects around the UK
with a total of £4.4 million, and it
is used by the Mayor of London to
administer his office’s High Street
Fund.
www.spacehive.com
IMPACT
1 Increased social cohesion enabling happier,
healthier and safer communities
2 Creation of a thriving start-up and cultural scene,
by and for New Town’s residents
3 De-risked public investment in projects that have
strong local demand
NEXT STEPS FOR NEW TOWN KOLKATA
DESIGN Map existing citizen initiatives in New Town to recruit local
‘champions’; identify community spaces that can act as Incubator
Spaces for project organisers.
TECHNOLOGY Develop a technical specification for the online platform informed by
user needs; analyse property and planning data to identify potential
regeneration sites in the city.
POLICY Allocate a local regeneration fund for community projects; develop
policy to set aside a share of land and new buildings for community use.
Test a prototype version of the Civic Ideas Accelerator in one area of the
PILOT
city; use the findings to develop the business case and roll the scheme
out to other areas.
GOVERNANCE Establish a taskforce within the city authority responsible for
ongoing development and delivery of projects involving citizens and
residents groups.
23
 ONE-STOP-SHOP 2
SIMPLIFYING BUSINESS AND LIFE IN THE CITY

New Town Plaza

JAMES • 41
JAMES IS MOVING TO NEW TOWN
WITH HIS FAMILY SO HE CAN OPEN A
NEW ARCHITECTURE BUSINESS

The One-Stop-Shop is a simple online interface where

businesses, investors and residents can access and share
information in a single place.

The digital portal contains up-to-date information on

business and investment opportunities in New Town,
as well as advice and information for citizens. It is
complemented by a physical Hub space in the central
business district, where users can access professional
and administrative support in person.

The One-Stop-Shop reduces inefficient administrative

processes, provides a seamless city experience for users
and helps attract inward investment.

24 25

1 JAMES OPENS THE ONE-STOP-SHOP
APPLICATION ON HIS DEVICE
Users access the online portal from their
mobile device or computer using their
personal log-in
2 HE CHECKS HIS MY BUSINESS
NOTIFICATIONS
Personalised information is displayed on the
status of building plan approvals and trade
licenses
3 HE SCANS AVAILABLE
CO-WORKING SPACES AND BOOKS AN
APPOINTMENT
Interactive maps visualise vacant land, real
estate and available facilities for developers,
investors and entrepreneurs
4 JAMES AND HIS FAMILY MAKE PLANS
FOR THE WEEKEND
Citizens can browse local activities and plan
their journey in advance
26
CHALLENGE OPPORTUNITY
Citizens, businesses and investors often have New Town aspires to be home to 1 million people,
to navigate complicated and time-consuming
administrative processes when relocating their
with meaningful employment opportunities and
a thriving economy. Attracting new residents
home or work to a new city. This can be costly and investment to the city requires removing
for New Town’s authorities and deter potential administrative barriers and shifting to an open,
new businesses and residents from moving there. digital mode of operating, to create a seamless
For investors looking for new opportunities, it is experience for people looking to relocate their life,
not always clear what is on offer in the city, what work or investments to New Town.
the various stages of approval are, or how they
can easily make a sound investment – unless
information is standardised, accurate and kept up
to date.
SOLUTION
The One-Stop-Shop is an easy-to-use interface where citizens, businesses
and investors can access and share information in a single place. Behind the
interface, New Town’s city authorities are structured to deliver an integrated
service, supported by a central database in which public information can be
digitised, stored and updated to streamline the online approval process.
USER INTERFACE
The public-facing interface
helps users navigate
their investment and
administration needs
quickly and intuitively
DELIVERY STRUCTURE
The organisational model
enables New Town’s city
authorities to process
administration requests
efficiently
DATASTORE
The central database
contains digitised, up-to-
date public information that
can be accessed remotely
27
 KEY USERS
CITIZENS
wanting to organise their lives
more efficiently
EXAMPLES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
GOV.UK (UK)
A citizen-friendly online portal
Gov.uk is a national online portal
for British citizens and businesses,
designed to be a single point of
access for government services.
Inspired by online retail and
banking, it initially digitised
administrative areas with high
transactional costs — including
voting, tax, immigration and
transport. Now it provides services
for all 24 of the Government’s
departments and 331 other
public bodies.
www.gov.uk
28
BUSINESSES
looking to set up or invest in
the city
SERVICEONTARIO.CA (CANADA)
A one-stop-shop for businesses
ServiceOntario.ca is a platform
that allows businesses to easily
register with multiple government
departments. It allows both start-
ups and established businesses to
find relevant information, submit
forms digitally, archive interactions
with the government, and maintain
accounts in a single online location.
The portal is highly customisable,
allowing each business to tailor it to
specific needs.
www.ontario.ca/page/business-
services
IMPACT
1 Increased transparency and accessibility
for citizens
2 Increased high-value and meaningful employment
opportunities
3 Creation of business, innovation and education
CITY OFFICIALS
operating the online portal hubs across the city
and physical Hub space
NEXT STEPS FOR NEW TOWN KOLKATA
DESIGN Develop a specification for the online portal and Hub space, informed
by user needs, focus groups and workshops with key stakeholders.
TECHNOLOGY Outline the technical specifications and data requirements for
implementing an overarching online solution with an integrated
datastore.
POLICY Develop open data protocols and policy for digitising public
information, adopting international standards and best practice.
GAUTENG INVESTMENT CENTRE
(SOUTH AFRICA)
Removing barriers to external
PILOT Test a prototype version of the One-Stop-Shop service with a small
investment
group of users; use the findings to inform a supplier brief and shortlist
of suitable vendors.
The Gauteng Investment Centre
is an online service which makes
it easy for new companies and
Establish the governance structure required for the development,
investors to register a business, GOVERNANCE
delivery and on going maintenance of the online portal and Hub space.
apply for licenses, sign up
for incentives, and obtain
work permits. By simplifying
interactions with government, it
removes many of the bottlenecks
associated with establishing and
running businesses in Gauteng,
making it a more attractive
proposition for external investors.
www.gautenginvest.co.za
29
 CONNECTED CITY 3
Digitally optimising physical infrastructure

New infrastructure
LAKSHMAN • 74

LAKSHMAN NEEDS CONVENIENT

ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT SO HE
CAN GET AROUND NEW TOWN

The Connected City is a technology-enabled mobility

system that makes it easy and safe for everyone to
navigate New Town using different modes of transport.
●
Mobile-based applications and dynamic signage guide
people through the city, enabled by real-time analytics
using local data sources to help ensure predictable
journey times.
●
The Connected City provides seamless end-to-end
journeys for all of New Town’s users, providing stress-
free travel and safer, people-friendly streets.

30 31

1 LAKSHMAN PLANS HIS JOURNEY TO
THE ECO PARK
Maps of New Town are available in
digital and paper form, or displayed on
noticeboards in communal areas
2 HE TAKES THE BUS TO COLLECT HIS
GRANDCHILDREN
Up-to-date information is shown at bus stops
to let people know when the bus will arrive
3 DYNAMIC STREET SIGNAGE GUIDES
HIM TO HIS DESTINATION
Low-energy digital signage is displayed
in public spaces and updated with local
information
4 LAKSHMAN JOINS HIS FAMILY FOR
DINNER
Citizens can travel safely and easily around
the city using rickshaws, buses and well-lit
walking routes
32
CHALLENGE OPPORTUNITY
It is difficult for people to find their way around Effective and appealing public transport
New Town. With the city’s transport infrastructure infrastructure is vital for the development of a safe
still being built, citizens are not always able to
get to their destination easily, safely and on time.
and mobile city. Multi-modal transport networks
provide last-mile connectivity by connecting
During the day, traffic congestion makes journey pedestrian routes, bus stops and rickshaws to
times unpredictable, whilst safety at night is a real metro stations, making it easy for people to get to
concern for pedestrians and public transport users. any destination in the city, while ‘complete streets’
For the city authority to decide where to focus give everyone space to move around. Enabled by
investment requires being able to reliably assess technology, users can explore their city and enjoy the
the demand for new transport services. journey, while generating information to help New
Town manage improvements to its transport network.
SOLUTION
The Connected City is a technology-enabled mobility system that makes it easy
for everyone to navigate New Town using different modes of transport. Prompted
by digital cues, users are guided along their journey and can plan in advance. The
service is enabled by predictive analytics using local and location-based data sources.
USER INTERFACE
Dynamic signage is
displayed in strategic
places throughout the city
or made available through
mobile applications
DELIVERY STRUCTURE
Electronically-stored
data is interpreted using
analytics and modelling
methods to determine
hotspots of activity and
demand
DATASTORE
Data is collected using
paper based, electronic
surveying and automated
network sensing methods
to further improve services
33
 KEY USERS
BUSINESSES
looking to provide last-mile
transportation for goods and
services
EXAMPLES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
COMPLETE STREETS (US)
Making roads more inclusive
Complete Streets is a policy used
across the US to plan and design
roads that encourage multi-modal
transport. A reaction to the car-
centric planning of post-war cities,
the scheme promotes intelligent
inclusion of features like sidewalks,
bike lanes, public transport stops
and traffic-calming measures to
ensure that streets are safer and
faster for everyone.
www.smartgrowthamerica.org/
complete-streets
34
CITY OFFICIALS
seeking to improve safety and
transit times
PAVEGEN (UK)
Sensing hotspots of pedestrian
activity
Pavegen creates paving slabs that
convert energy from footsteps into
electrical power. When people walk
over the surface, data is collected
on the number of pedestrians
going past. The tiles are made from
recycled materials and are able
to convert the energy from each
footstep into enough electricity
to run an LED street lamp for 30
seconds. Slabs have been installed
in cities including London, Paris
and Rio de Janeiro.
www.pavegen.com
CITIZENS
wanting to navigate New Town
quickly and safely
CITYMAPPER (GLOBAL)
Intelligent route planning
CityMapper is an app that suggests
routes across cities by combining
information about different
transport modes. Taking into
account location, price, duration
and delays, it provides real-time
suggestions so the user can choose
from a selection of alternative
routes. Estimated to be used on
half of the iPhones in London, it is
now available in 29 different cities
around the world.
www.citymapper.com
IMPACT
1 Increased mobility and safety on roads and
pedestrian areas, especially for senior citizens,
women and the physically impaired
2 Better evidence for strategic decision making and
investment in new infrastructure
3 New mobile-based applications developed by New
Town’s tech cluster
NEXT STEPS FOR NEW TOWN KOLKATA
DESIGN Identify strategic locations for digital signage and new transport routes
in the city based on insights from data analysis and user research;
determine the busy and congested areas that cause the most stress.
TECHNOLOGY Map New Town’s current and planned infrastructure; invite local tech
developers to create prototype mobility applications for New Town.
POLICY Create incentives for last-mile transport providers; develop ‘complete
street’ regulations to ensure routes meet the needs of cyclists and
pedestrians.
Test ‘complete street’ infrastructure in one neighbourhood before
PILOT
rolling out to the city; test a beta version of the mobility app with a
small group of residents.
Invest in ‘digital champions’ in the city authority to embed digital skills
GOVERNANCE
and thinking across all sectors.
35
URBAN DATA
A vital source of information to help
understand the city and forecast its future.
From annual population censuses and daily crime
statistics to real-time sensing of air pollution and
transport delays, data can be collected from every
part of the city over different time scales. Once it is
collected, it can be used to understand the urban
environment in more detail than ever — and even
predict how it might change in the future.
ACT DATA STORAGE
CITY
REPORTS
PROCESS
36
The way in which data is collected, analysed and
applied in cities is best understood as a feedback
cycle. This standard model helps ensure the
right data is collected — to provide evidence for
investment and policy decisions, information for
citizens, and resources for innovators looking to
develop services for the city.
ENERGY
COLLECT
DATA
COLLECT
RECORD AN ASPECT OF THE CITY THROUGH
SURVEYING OR SENSING
Cities have varying data collection abilities. As a new city,
much of New Town’s infrastructure — and the service layer
built upon it — is being installed using the best available
technology. From detecting roadside air pollution to
monitoring cell phone network performance, current sensing
methods have a major digital component, which will be
pervasive in New Town. The city’s age means that there is a
lack of historic survey data about the city. Instead, there is a
unique opportunity to make data collection and public record
keeping digital by default — using the latest standards to create
a store of information that can be used in the coming years.
PROCESS
STORE DATA ELECTRONICALLY FOR
ANALYSIS, MODELLING AND INTERPRETATION
Multiple data sets can be aggregated and analysed to help
New Town’s planners make strategic decisions about the city.
Simulation techniques can help ask what-if questions about
the effects of new interventions, such as the likely impact of
building new transport routes, while urban modelling can help
predict events, such as crime occurrences or traffic congestion.
By embracing the concept of Open Data — where information
is stored in a transparent and accessible way — New Town can
encourage citizens and other stakeholders operating in the
city to engage with it. In turn, it will provide a rich source of
information for the innovation community to develop locally-
relevant services and software using the data.
ACT
CREATE INSIGHTS FOR URBAN PLANNERS
AND INNOVATORS TO USE
Processed data can provide evidence to help decide which
policies or interventions in the city are likely to create the best
impact and return on investment. A city may, for instance,
compare scenarios for investing in cycling, bus or pedestrian
infrastructure around hotspots of congestion during rush
hour. Using information collected from the city itself helps
ensure planning and development actions address local
needs relevant to New Town. This evidence helps ensure the
city is delivering better services, reducing inefficiencies and
stimulating innovation — some of which will generate new
data to continue the cycle.
CASE STUDY
OPEN KNOWLEDGE FOUNDATION
The Open Knowledge Foundation is a global
non-profit dedicated to making information
accessible. Working with cities in 58 different
countries, it is published over 800 open data
sets — information it deems to be universally
accessible and reusable — about transport,
crime, air quality, spending and more. It
has teams around the world, including
ambassadors based in India.
www.okfn.org
CASE STUDY
OPEN DATA INSTITUE
The Open Data Institute is an independent
body helping people to make better use
of open data. Through capacity building,
technical support, and business advice, it
aims to help individuals and organisations
innovate using data to provide economic,
environmental, and social value. It has nodes
across Europe, South America, Africa and Asia.
www.opendata.institute
CASE STUDY
MANCHESTER DATA SYNCHRONISATION
PROGRAMME
The Greater Manchester Data
Synchronisation Programme is an initiative to
improve the free flow of civic data between
public sector organisations and help provide
it to the public. By standardising and linking
data sets, the information is easier for
citizens and innovators to use or build into
new products and services.
www.gmdsp.org.uk
37
INNOVATION
FRAMEWORK
Benchmarking the city to rate and improve its
culture of innovation and entrepreneurship
New Town wants to differentiate itself from other
cities in India and become a hub for business
services and high-value economic activities — to
compete with Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. In
order to do so, it must understand its innovation
profile compared to other cities, so that it can
identify current strengths and areas where it can
begin to improve.
CITIE™ is a new benchmarking tool developed
by Nesta, Accenture and Future Cities Catapult
to enable city leaders to assess their openness to
innovation, investigate how it compares to other
cities and then develop new policy to catalyse
innovation and entrepreneurship. The tool, shown
below, uses existing data and information about the
city to determine where it excels or underperforms
compared to other cities.
With the resident and business population still
establishing in New Town, there is not yet sufficient
data to determine a robust diagnostic for the city.
NEW DELHI'S
Performance
Peer group
Experimenters
Population
23.04 million
City GDP per capita
$12,747
Municipal budget
$621.345 million
38
RECOMMENDATIONS
How New Town can become a model for
urban innovation in India and beyond.
But a comparison of other Indian cities — such as
New Town is a city with ambitious plans: to become a hub for
Bangalore and New Delhi — with those that it seeks
to emulate — like Singapore, for example — will start business and economic activity, to differentiate itself from other
to build the picture of the policy changes that could Indian cities and benchmark itself against international rivals, and
be effected in New Town.
above all to provide an exceptional environment and quality of
In particular, it seems that if New Town is to set life for its citizens.
itself apart from the likes of Bangalore and New
Delhi, it could begin to focus its policy interventions
on: innovation strategy, the development of data Working closely with city officials and key stakeholders in New
architecture, investment in entrepreneurialism,
and advocacy of novel products and services. But a
Town as part of the Smart City Academy, we have been able
robust CITIE™ analysis using New Town’s data — as to explore citizen needs and the city’s strategic priorities in
and when it is available — will reveal the best steps
to take.
detail. Complementing those insights with economic profiling,
data and innovation benchmarking, and the development of a
BANGALORE'S set of innovation opportunities, we have developed a series of
Performance
recommendations for the city’s officials.
Peer group
Experimenters
New Town has tremendous potential for growth, but it must
Population
8.97 million
now capitalise on its existing strengths. It must establish a
City GDP per capita
$5,051
well-defined economic function to become a destination for
Municipal budget innovation, exploit its simple governance structure and low
$131.36 million
administrative barriers to grow quickly and sustainably, invest
in innovative products and services that meet the needs of all its
SINGAPORE'S
Performance
residents, and make use of the experience of existing citizens to
help shape the city for those yet to arrive.
Peer group
Front Runners Here, we present our recommendations for New Town, which
Population
5.47 million we hope will help it take the first steps towards becoming
City GDP per capita
$66,864
an intelligent, inclusive, prosperous city. An inspiration for
Municipal budget
$42.17 billion
India — and the rest of the world.
39
1 DEFINE AND STRENGTHEN
IDENTITY
The world’s most successful
cities have a strong and clear
purpose. New Town must
identify what it wants to become
known for, both economically
and culturally, and demonstrate
it through policies, investments
and actions that are rooted in its
local context.
40
ACTIONS
2 ENABLE CITIZENS TO SHAPE
• Establish a quantitative economic baseline
for New Town, using survey data to estimate
the value of nascent finance, IT, health and
education hubs
• Use annual surveys to collect data on
employment (e.g. number of employees/
graduates, age, average salary) and business
growth (e.g. sales, turnover, number of new
businesses registrations/ trade permits)
• Establish a set of key performance indicators to
monitor New Town’s progress over time against
local, regional and national policy objectives
• Identify comparable cities with similar economic
specialisms to benchmark performance, focusing
on trends in inward investment
• Anchor the New Town brand in a handful
of flagship developments, such as a cultural
quarter, innovation hub and National Institute of
Intelligent Urban Design
OUTCOMES
• Increase inward investment
• Attract residents and visitors from across the
region
• Attract and retain talent, especially from local
3 SIMPLIFY BUSINESS
schools and universities
THE CITY
A city’s residents bring it to
life. New Town must enable
its citizens to create the
city’s cultural and social
experiences, by supporting
entrepreneurial ventures,
funding ideas generated
by citizens, and deploying
innovations that benefit all
of society.
PROCESSES
Investors and entrepreneurs
demand a clear value
proposition. New Town must
demonstrate potential for a
strong return on investment,
streamline the way businesses
interact with the city and create
attractive opportunities — to
secure external investment and
create new jobs.
ACTIONS
• Implement the Civic Ideas Accelerator to create
an environment where citizens contribute to
shaping city services and infrastructure
• Adopt user-centred design approaches to ensure
that new products and services meet the needs of
real citizens
• Create new policy measures to ensure citizen
needs are incorporated into all development and
funding is ring-fenced for public initiatives
OUTCOMES
• Create a vibrant cultural scene
• Improve health and quality of life of citizens
• Improve safety and reduce crime
ACTIONS
• Implement the One-Stop-Shop to simplify
interactions with city officials for those investing
or setting up businesses in New Town
• Create a digital by default culture within New
Town’s city administration departments to
makes its processes more efficient
• Investigate new models for incentivising
business and supporting start-ups that align with
the city’s newly defined identity
OUTCOMES
• Increase employment and inward investment
• Reduce administration costs
• Increase new businesses locating in New Town,
especially start-ups and small firms
41
4 DIGITALLY OPTIMISE
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Efficient cities make systems
work together. New Town must
use its physical infrastructure
effectively by adding
supporting digital platforms
to gather and analyse
data, to inform and improve
development, and to create
digital services that help
citizens make the most of the
city’s assets.
5 BECOME A DESTINATION
FOR INNOVATION
Innovation requires the correct
environment to succeed.
New Town must make itself a
destination for innovators and
entrepreneurs, building on its
ease of doing business and
low administrative barriers and
adopting best practices from
across the world.
42
ACTIONS
Rabindra Tirtha cultural centre
• Implement the Connected City to create a smart
transport network that does not require heavy
investment in infrastructure
• Develop a city-wide data program: use surveying
and sensing to collect information, store it
securely, and invest in modelling and analysis
• Create policies to ensure that new city
infrastructure is always digital-ready and that
data is collected by default
OUTCOMES
• Enable better and more efficient public services
• Build a centralised source of data for local
innovation
• Increase transparency with residents, investors
and innovators
ACTIONS
• Carry out a Supplier Challenge with Future Cities
Catapult to identify the best solutions providers
for New Town, based on the reccomendations in
this report
• Perform horizon-scanning exercises to identify
cities with strategies similar to New Town’s and
evaluate their success
• Benchmark New Town’s innovation profile
using the CITIE™ framework, as data becomes
available
OUTCOMES
• Improve procurement procedures
• City leaders understand the full suite of
possibilities open to New Town
• New Town is regarded as a model for urban
innovation in India
43
CONTRIBUTORS Future Cities Catapult 2016

This Roadmap was developed in collaboration with data scientists, cultural

anthropologists, economists, designers and writers at Future Cities Catapult,
drawing on economic expertise from BuroHappold. The Smart City Academy
process was led by Mr Debashish Sen, Additional Chief Secretary of the
Government of West Bengal and Chairman of HIDCO, with contributions from
city officials, businesses and citizens in New Town Kolkata. This work was
made possible with support from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office's
Prosperity Fund.

Future Cities Catapult accelerates urban ideas to

market, to grow the British economy and make cities
better. It brings together businesses, universities and
city leaders so that they can work with each other to
solve the problems that cities face, now and in the
future.

West Bengal Housing and Infrastructure

Development Corporation (HIDCO) plans and
executes development projects in the entire area
of Rajarhat, Kolkata, West Bengal. It works closely
with the New Town Kolkata Development Authority
(NKDA) responsible for establishing new business
centres and increasing housing supply in New Town.

BuroHappold Engineering is an independent

consulting and engineering practice with over 40 years’
experience working with public and private sector
clients across the world. A team of economists from
its Cities Consulting group provided expert support to
guide and shape the development of this report.
AUTHORS
Report by:
EMMA SHAW Senior Analyst, Future Cities Catapult
For more information please contact:
DR AMY HOCHADEL Global Cities Lead, Future Cities Catapult
ahochadel@futurecities.catapult.org.uk

The British High Commission in India is responsible

for developing and maintaining relations between
the UK and India. It allocates the Foreign and
Commonwealth's Prosperity Fund to targeted
projects that help tackle climate change, strengthen
energy security and promote an open global economy
in key emerging economies.
DISCLAIMER
The content of this publication does not reflect the official opinion of the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Responsibility for the information
and views expressed herein lies entirely with the authors. Reproduction
is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Any mention of
specific products or services in this report does not imply endorsement
by Future Cities Catapult or the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

44 45
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