Smart City in India, acing COVID-19 response using smart technology and data governance solutions

COVID-19 has affected almost the entire world, causing widespread disruptions in economies and healthcare services. More than 40 million people were infected as of mid-October 2020. In such situations, citizens expect their governments to provide credible information, leadership, and guidance to ensure their safety and healthcare, and avoid economic hardships. The pandemic forced governments to take actions usually reserved for war, depression, and natural disasters. Governments across the world are taking extreme measures to limit the loss of human lives and minimize economic disruption.

The Government of India’s response has also been somewhat similar to those of other countries, focusing on minimizing impact on people’s health, lives, and economy. Technology adoption across smart cities in India and globally has been key to providing better service delivery to citizens and improving their quality of life. However, challenges in India, especially in its cities, were somewhat larger than those in many other countries because of the following reasons:

• Large population
• Heathcare capacity related constraints
• Higher vulnerability of a section of the population to economic shock