Smart Cities Mission in India: some definitions and considerations

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline the generic concepts and learning about smart cities and capture the varied perspectives of winning case examples in India. An attempt is made in the paper to study the available literature about smart cities and structure them into a synoptic framework of planning, design and implementation. Design/methodology/approach This paper has followed a case study approach and complied multi-facet 18 features of 99 winners of 100 Smart Cities Mission in India to showcase trends and developments of tomorrow. These multi-facet features collectively provide a heterogeneous view of the future potentials of smart cities in India. Findings Findings of this research can contribute to shaping a number significant learning of different aspects of policy formation in India with respect to smart cities in view of the sensitivity of citizen participation in the individualized society of information age. Social implications The development of smart cities in India is expected to play an outstanding role in shaping the world of tomorrow. Although the focus of this development is on the actual needs and requirements of today; however, some trends and predictions of the future society can also be identified. Originality/value This paper is the original attempt to set the definition of developing and replicating smart cities in India based on decisive parameters and it contributes to meet challenges of urban planning.