By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, September 10, 2016 : Union minister of Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday praised the smart city plan submitted by Odisha as ‘best example’ to emerge as number one among the 20 winners of the Smart City Challenge competition held earlier this year.

“People are asking how Bhubaneswar has become No.1 in the smart city list and cite some examples. I said the plan proposed by Bhubaneswar states what they can do or cannot do. It is the best example”, said Naidu at a CSR conclave here.

The Temple City here emerged as topper in the smart city list springing a surprise across the country.

The smart city proposal estimates total project costs at Rs 4,537 crore, including Rs 4,095 crore for Bhubaneswar Town Centre District (BTCD) and Rs 442 crore for Intelligent City Operations and Management Centre (ICOMC).

The BTCD plans to retrofit and redevelop 985 acres centred on the main railway station in the heart of the city to a vibrant 24×7 destination. ICOMC will provide a digital platform for integrating multiple city sub-systems of traffic management, parking, bus operations, common fare card, emergency response, and city incident management along with seamless integration of BTCD’s utility operation requirements.

Hailing the proposal, Naidu said, smart city needs smart leaders in the sense, wisdom and honesty and smart people.

Naidu underscored the need for denizens of the capital city here to play a responsible role and media to create social awareness

“City people also have an important responsibility and media has role to create to social awareness”, Naidu, who is also the information and broadcasting minister said.