Allahabad city is one of the selected city for the 100 smart cities development program. The continuous population growth pushes the cities towards unplanned expansion and this kind of pushed expansion causes serious issues in the cities. The potential of Allahabad city is assessing with the help of various components of smart city mission and smart city development. The study is based on rating method based on various level of delivery of services to the people. In which the current status refers to the current level of city performance and service delivery across each of the components is assessed. Technology intervention defines the use and state of technology solutions for city operations and the delivery of various city services contribution to smart city implies the vitality index and the contribution made by individual components in city operations. The smart city components such as role of society, environment, governance, mobility, quality of life and economy are major representatives for the city to become smart city. The analysis of all these components of Allahabad city shows that city required large-scale improvement to become smart city.

A smart city is a concept built on a high standard of city infrastructures and environmental practices (Deakin, 2014; Townsend, 2013; Hollands, 2015; Graham and Marvin, 2002; Bajracharya and Allison, 2008). Smart city development, which aims at retrofitting, redevelopment, and greenfield development, all in context to cities, as well as a pan-city initiative, in which parts of a city are studied, their problems are identified, then a rectification strategy is developed to apply these smart solutions to cultivate a smarter city than what it was before, are some of the strategic elements of smart cities. India, a nation that is working to gradually become a developed nation, has identified the idea of smart cities as one of the strategies to attain their goal (Boulton et al, 2011, Hollands, 2008). City improvement (retrofitting), city renewal (redevelopment), and city expansion, as well as a Pan-city programme in which smart solutions are implemented spanning broader portions of the city, are the strategic components of area-based development under the Smart Cities Mission. Electricity, water management, transportation, housing, energy management, waste management, a sustainable environment, excellent health, and education, as well as healthy society and governance, are some of the city's various elements that must be taken into account for the development of a smart city. It mainly focuses on Potential aspect of smart city development components for achieving a sustainable smart city. Smart City trends and innovations shaping the future of cities have discussed about the Human needs as well as the development of electronic-based projects for urban areas have evolved over the years (Szewc and Rubisz, 2023). Smart mobility is one of the essential components of a smart city, which enhances inhabitants' quality of life by fostering greater mobility, lowering air pollution, enhancing road safety, and implementing cutting-edge transit options (Wolniak 2023).

Study Area

The city of Allahabad (as per the Allahabad Municipal Corporation) extends from 81° 43ʹ 20ʺ E to 81° 53ʹ 30ʺ E longitudes and from 25° 23ʹ 00ʺ N to 25° 32ʹ 00ʺ N latitudes. From east to west the city limit is about 25.2 km, and from north to south, the city stretches for about 30.5 km (Figure 1). The total area under the Allahabad Corporation is 75.6 sq. km. It is located at an altitude of 98 m above the mean sea level (Census of India, 2011). Ancient times referred to the area as the large nation. The Baghelkhand region borders it to the south and southeast, the middle Ganges Valley of North India, or Purvanchal, to the east, the Bundelkhand region to the southwest, the Avadh region to the north and northeast, and the lower Doab region to the west with Kaushambi.

Source: Census of India, 2011

Figure 1: Location of the Study Area

The climate in Allahabad is representative of the humid subtropical climate that prevails in towns throughout North-Central India (District Census Handbook, Uttar Pradesh, 2022).

It comprises the process of data collection and analysis of the whole research work. The research methodology comprises data sources and various methods of analysis. Data Source: Primary data is obtained from questionnaire surveys and interviews of city residents and officials. Study has included the field observations, and with the help of field survey in the study area, formal and informal interviews have also taken to collecting the requisite information. This study will include field survey of 400 respondent in the study area, which proved to be highly beneficial in collection of factual data and reliable information. Secondary data is taken from various Indian government information portals, city-specific government websites, city-specific department websites, research papers available publically, public reports and statistics and surveys done by various analyst organizations. There are various central and state government reports such as Allahabad District Census Handbook 2011, Allahabad Town Directory 2011, and Census of India 2011.

The study has also used bar, pie, line graph have been used in the study and statistical table has been used to elaborate the status of facilities in Allahabad city. The data has been used for analysis and various methods have been used for the analysis such as statistical analysis and modeling. Multi-criteria decision analysis is used as a method to analyze each sector in detail. Across each identified sector, metrics were developed of smart city based on benchmarks and target values. Score is given in according to deviation from these benchmarks and target values.

Current status refers to the current level of city performance and service delivery across each of the component is assessed. Technology intervention defines the use and state of technology solutions for city operations and the delivery of various city services and Contribution to smart city implies the vitality index and the contribution made by individual components in city operations. Out of these 41 components, 39% depicts an urban overview, 32% a social overview, and the remaining provides an economic overview of the city. During the assessment, care has been taken to use the most recent data available. These criteria are assessed on a scale of three to one, three being the highest rating and one the lowest. Weights have been assigned to these criteria based on their significance and contribution to help assess the preparedness of the city in reference.

Final score = (current status x 4) + (Technology Intervention x 4) + (Contribution to Smart City x 5)

Weighting factors are used to define the level of importance of criteria. Weights have been assigned from zero to five scales. Zero refers to not important, one is for very low importance, two is for low importance, three is for medium importance, four is for high importance, and five is for very high importance. Current status and technology intervention have been assigned equal weightage of 4 which shows high importance. Very high weightage of 5 is assigned to “contribution to smart city” to emphasize the critical components that need urgent attention and efforts. Assessment findings have been rationalized by carrying out a ground level analysis and initiative taken by cities in that particular sector by individual departments across all identified components. City development plan of Allahabad under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission has been of great importance in these respects. To know the Val Current, ground level initiatives and mechanisms have been examined in detail to substantiate the findings and ratings. Through the standardization process, consolidated score on a scale of one to 10 for each component has been developed. This has helped to gain clear insights of the entire city-wise operations till the last level.

Potential of Smart city in Allahabad

The Allahabad city has potential to become smart city. The major components such as society, quality of life mobility, environment, economy and governance etc. have put forward the idea further. These are following:

1.     An enhanced administrative and economic efficiency that enables the development of cultures and society by utilizing networked infrastructure,

2.     An underlying emphasis on business oriented urban development,

3.     A strong focus on the goal of realizing the social inclusion of different kinds of urban residents in public services,

4.     A perspective to pay close attention to the function of social and relational capital in the city development

5.     A vision to take social and environmental sustainability as an important aspect of smart city development.

6.     Create a rich environment of broadband networks that support digital applications and Initiate large scale participatory innovation processes for the creation of application,

7.     Smart governance utilize technology such as business application to facilitate and support better planning. Smart living as increasing quality of life for residents and architecture to the city, the most common are the star architecture or mesh network.

Potential Assessment based on different component of Smart city for Allahabad city

The elements of society such as creativity, training, inclusion of people, contribution by the people, assessment of development and responsible citizen etc. are representing the required thing for the city to become smart city. Allahabad city does not provide appropriate scenario for the growth of the city as smart city with score value less than 30. The score value such as 17, 18, 22 and 27 does not reflects good performance or society to become smart society (Table 2). The consolidated score 5.41 reflects Allahabad need to improve in all these aspect to become smart city. These consolidated score reflects that Allahabad city required hug boost to become smart city in this category. 

The components such as sustainable buildings, resource management sustainable urbanism and prevention of pollution represent the environmental components for the smart city. Sustainable building has acquired the total score of 27 which reflects low potential for smart city similarly sustainable urbanism also has 27 score value which reflects low potential. The potential score value for resource management is 18 which shows least potential for Allahabad city to become smart city. The consolidated score of the environmental components of smart city for Allahabad city is 5.38 which reflectss low potential for the city development as smart city.

The Allahabad city has required good governance to establish the proper survival of people in the city. The components of governance such data protection, infrastructure municipality and services etc. are serving the people for better life of the people in the city. The governance’s data protection components have smart city potential score is 27 which denotes low level of data protection in the city. The potential of infrastructure in the city has acquired score of 27 which also shows similar level as of data protection. It municipality role has 23 score for city development as smart city which denotes Allahabad city has to improve their municipal role in the city to make Allahabad city as smart city. The consolidated score for potential of Allahabad city to become smart city is 5.77 which reflects very low potential to Allahabad city to become smart city. Therefore, the city has required improvement in governance in the city. The quality of life reflects people’s standard of living in particular place. Therefore, it is important aspect for smart city development. The quality of life comes with the people’s effort on various aspect such as wellbeing, health and hygiene safety and cultural awareness. These components of quality of life describe by smart city idea for Brussels. The cultural awareness, wellbeing among people both have 18 score value which reflects least potential for the Allahabad city to become smart city. Health and hygiene both have reflects score value of 27 and 22 respectively which describe the low potential in these component in Allahabad city to make city smart city. The consolidated potential score of quality of life in Allahabad city is 4.89 which denotes low level for the city to become smart city. Therefore, Allahabad city has required focus on the improvement in this aspect to become smart city.

Transportation, parking, traffic management points and level of technology use are most important components for smart city development. The efficient transportation has 23 score value which reflects that there is need to further develop transportation in the Allahabad city. The parking spaces are also required in smart city which Allahabad city does not provide to the people. Therefore, its score value is 18 which describes poor state of parking in Allahabad city. The traffic management has 22 score value which reflects low potential in the city to manage the traffic in the city. The potential use of technology in transportation is at low level in the city. Therefore, it has 27 score value. The consolidated score value of role of mobility system in Allahabad city is 4.84 which reflects low potential in the city to become smart city. Every city has base for the development such as culture, religious, social and political but economy is most important among these because without economy no city can survive for long time. The Allahabad city is one of the oldest city in world.  The economic components such as industries, production level, local and global enterprises and employment level have denote the state of city economically. All these components of role of economy in smart city development has acquired the score value of 18 individually. This reflects the least potential for the Allahabad city to become smart city. The consolidated score value for the role of economy in smart city is 4.54 which reflects low potential in Allahabad city economically to become smart city.

1.     Potential of Infrastructure in Smart city Development

Water Infrastructure- The water infrastructure in the city is most important element and water related facilities are backbone for the development for the smart city. The water supply, water losses, payment methods, metering and customer satisfaction are major component for the water infrastructure in Allahabad city. The supply of water 24x7 is most important for the people in the city. The Allahabad city has score value of 31 which denote low level of supply of water 24x7 in the city (Fig. 2). The metering facilities are also not appropriate due to which it has given 18 score value. The payment facility has 23 score value which describes low payment facility in Allahabad city. Energy Infrastructure- The energy is most important requirement for the city survival and energy provides accommodative atmosphere in the city. The 24x7 supply of energy is required for the people in the city because they are dependent on it. The city potential is also reflectsed by capacity of energy supply to the people. The energy supply for 24x7 score value it 31 which reflects low level of infrastructure of energy supply. Energy consumption period is high in the city with score value of 39 which reflects the energy demand is high in the city (Fig. 3).

Fig. 2 Potential of Water Related Infrastructure

Fig.3 Potential of Energy Related Infrastructure

Sanitation infrastructure- Sanitation is one of the mandatory aspects in the city. The sanitation plays major role in transportation of sewerage and release of wastage out of the city. The sanitation infrastructure such as sewerage line, septic tanks, working of lines, drains and machinery use in disposal are important sub component in sanitation in the city. The sewerage line presence in Allahabad city is not spread all over the city due to which it has score value of 31 which denoted city poor state of sewerage system (Fig. 4).  The presence of septic tanks also describes the unsustainable character of the city.

Fig. 4 Potential of Sanitation Related Infrastructure

Fig. 5 Potential of Education Related Infrastructure

Education Infrastructure- The education infrastructure is mandatory for educated society which led the country state city towards growth. The education in the city has lot of potential because Allahabad city has one of the oldest educational institution in the country. The sub components such as total number of school, school for disabled, number of college per number of people, and professional colleges per population density are reflecting the educational scenario in the city. Except the schools for disabled student most of the sub-components show that educational infrastructure are satisfactory for present situation (Fig. 5). Therefore, the city has moderate level of educational infrastructure but the consolidated score value for educational infrastructure in Allahabad city is 6.5.

Digital Infrastructure- The digital infrastructure is very important for present world. Therefore, it is important for smart city as well. The digital infrastructure sub components such as surveillance, cyber protection, and cyber data protection, cyber cell presence and cyber police unit are important for Allahabad city to become smart city. The each sub components has acquired score value more than 30 which reflects that the city’s digital infrastructure is moderate level as technology intervention and contribution towards smart city are important and large scale element for smart city development. The consolidated score of potential of digital infrastructure for Allahabad city is 7.23 (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6 Potential of Digital Related Infrastructure 

Fig.7 Potential of Green Infrastructure

Green Infrastructure -The green infrastructure has important role in smart city. The smart city is most important for Allahabad city to become smart city. The sub components such as pollution adherence to green building norms, household connection to waste water, waste water treatment facility and recycling of waste are important aspect in smart city. These aspect are not well maintained in the Allahabad city due to which these subcomponents have score of 18 and nearby which denotes that these aspect has to improve in the city.  The technology intervention is almost negligible or minutely applied (Fig. 7). The consolidated score for potential of green infrastructure in Allahabad city is 4.29.

Allahabad city is focusing at the component of smart city development and this study tries to cover all the potential aspects which help to make Allahabad a smart city. The city is planning to develop smart city by enhancing various kind of facilities with help of proper management of electricity distribution, water management, transportation, housing, energy management, waste management, a sustainable environment, excellent health, and education, as well as healthy society and governance, are some of the city's various elements that must be taken into account for the development of a smart city. Multi-criteria decision analysis is used as a method to analyze each sector in detail. Across each identified sector, metrics were developed of smart city based on benchmarks and target values. The smart city components such as role of society, environment, governance, mobility, quality of life and economy are major representative for the city to become smart city. These components of Allahabad city show the need of large scale improvement to becoming smart city. Beyond these components number of infrastructure components has been used to find out the potential of smart in Allahabad city.

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