24
M. Fatewar and Vaishali
1.7 Recommendations
The cities are known for the complex nexus of economic activities and constantly
changing demographic profile. To build the cities, which can provide a safe and
secure place for its citizens during the pandemic situation is a bigger challenge for
the planner as well as GoI. However, the smart city can respond in a much better way
by integrating the latest digital technology and DCP with the governance system.
The authors have formulated the recommendation to keep the adverse impact of any
epidemic or pandemic minimum, which are as follows:
(i) Smart Region: the government shall focus on the development of smart regions
besides smart cities [42]. The compact development in the smart region shall be
supported by the provision of adequate infrastructure facilities (including healthcare).
Digital technology will be used as an integrated part of planning, which includes the
use of ICT, IT services, IoT, ML, and AI.
(ii) Consolidation of Spatial and Non-Spatial Data: the two forms of data, i.e.
spatial data and non-spatial data, will be consolidated by using the latest digital technology. (a) Spatial Data: includes the consolidation of spatial plans at different hierarchy based on the order of settlements. The detailed spatial plans shall be prepared
on Geographic Information System (GIS) at grassroots levels, i.e. wards, and linked
with the city, district, state, and national. The potential areas to be utilised under any
pandemic situation shall also be marked spatially on the spatial plan. It will enable
the government to geo-tag the patient’s location and identify the hotspot areas; (b)
Non-Spatial Data: includes the demographic profile of the city including big data
related to infrastructure such as number of beds, ICU, ventilators, and so on. The
interlinkage of spatial and non-spatial data with the help of digital technology, i.e.
through Geographic Information System (GIS), will provide the real-time status of
each settlement of the nation. It will be a revolutionary step and help to stop any
pandemic-like situation at the initial stage.
(iii) Mobility Control: the interaction of people is more in high population density
areas as compared to the low and medium population density areas, which increases
the speed of transmission of the virus from one person to another. Thus, the travelling
behaviour of the citizens shall be monitored spatially by geo-tagging their locations
during the pandemic situation. The different users will be allowed to go out at a
different time to reduce the spread of the virus.
(iv) Convergence of Government and Non-Government Institutes: all the staff of
government and non-government institutes shall be converged for the mitigation and
response phase of a pandemic. The convergence will be carried at both levels, i.e.
horizontal and vertical. (a) Horizontal Convergence: includes the identification of
staff in different departments but at the same or equivalent designation. (b) Vertical
Convergence: identifies the staff within the same department but at different hierarchies. The identification of staff will be carried out in advance by an appropriate
government as a precautionary measure to control the spread of virus at the initial
stage.
M. Fatewar and Vaishali
1.7 Recommendations
The cities are known for the complex nexus of economic activities and constantly
changing demographic profile. To build the cities, which can provide a safe and
secure place for its citizens during the pandemic situation is a bigger challenge for
the planner as well as GoI. However, the smart city can respond in a much better way
by integrating the latest digital technology and DCP with the governance system.
The authors have formulated the recommendation to keep the adverse impact of any
epidemic or pandemic minimum, which are as follows:
(i) Smart Region: the government shall focus on the development of smart regions
besides smart cities [42]. The compact development in the smart region shall be
supported by the provision of adequate infrastructure facilities (including healthcare).
Digital technology will be used as an integrated part of planning, which includes the
use of ICT, IT services, IoT, ML, and AI.
(ii) Consolidation of Spatial and Non-Spatial Data: the two forms of data, i.e.
spatial data and non-spatial data, will be consolidated by using the latest digital technology. (a) Spatial Data: includes the consolidation of spatial plans at different hierarchy based on the order of settlements. The detailed spatial plans shall be prepared
on Geographic Information System (GIS) at grassroots levels, i.e. wards, and linked
with the city, district, state, and national. The potential areas to be utilised under any
pandemic situation shall also be marked spatially on the spatial plan. It will enable
the government to geo-tag the patient’s location and identify the hotspot areas; (b)
Non-Spatial Data: includes the demographic profile of the city including big data
related to infrastructure such as number of beds, ICU, ventilators, and so on. The
interlinkage of spatial and non-spatial data with the help of digital technology, i.e.
through Geographic Information System (GIS), will provide the real-time status of
each settlement of the nation. It will be a revolutionary step and help to stop any
pandemic-like situation at the initial stage.
(iii) Mobility Control: the interaction of people is more in high population density
areas as compared to the low and medium population density areas, which increases
the speed of transmission of the virus from one person to another. Thus, the travelling
behaviour of the citizens shall be monitored spatially by geo-tagging their locations
during the pandemic situation. The different users will be allowed to go out at a
different time to reduce the spread of the virus.
(iv) Convergence of Government and Non-Government Institutes: all the staff of
government and non-government institutes shall be converged for the mitigation and
response phase of a pandemic. The convergence will be carried at both levels, i.e.
horizontal and vertical. (a) Horizontal Convergence: includes the identification of
staff in different departments but at the same or equivalent designation. (b) Vertical
Convergence: identifies the staff within the same department but at different hierarchies. The identification of staff will be carried out in advance by an appropriate
government as a precautionary measure to control the spread of virus at the initial
stage.