Questions/Answers

Owing to the burgeoning population in cities and rapid growth in recent years, it is critical to adopt the new and emerging technologies with an integrated approach to make our city and our people better connected. Vadodara is one city with total area 160 sq. km and a population of more than 20 lakh (2 million) citizen. Being a role model and winner of 2 Awards including a Business World Awards for the Innovative idea in smart city, our approach is being followed by other cities and will one day truly become pan Indian phenomenon. Our approach involves a city theme based design under Public Private Partnership (PPP), an innovative approach that is different and has been formulated in order to suit the regional requirements. In developing countries mainly Malls, City Centre and Railway Stations are connected with free Wi-Fi but, our innovative approach involves setting up Wi-Fi Hotspots across Vadodara City in PPP mode, to give citizens of Vadodara cellular connectivity, digitization, good governance and better access to world-class free Wi-Fi facility. It includes setting up 450 intelligent Poles which are Wi-Fi Hotspots. These poles are also shared infrastructure for all Smart City projects, as they have provisions for installing smart elements and sensors. The project is being done entirely on PPP model, for the first time in India under the Smart City Mission. Problem Statement: Traditionally internet was not available, gradually availability increased by cyber cafes and mobiles at an additional cost. Poor people did not have access to the internet. Solution/Project Initiative: VSCDL identified free public Wi-Fi is a necessity for equal opportunity and social mobility. Public Wi-Fi project will help citizens’ of Vadodara to reach, connect, and empower people throughout the city to improve education, increase citizen engagement, and further bring more opportunities. It will also improve public administration through the delivery of services online. Being connected to the internet means we can achieve things far quicker and more efficiently. The benefits of creating a Public Wi-Fi solution for Vadodara city is an attractive proposition for both city administrators and citizens of Vadodara. Vadodara Smart City has incorporated digital technologies to generate huge amounts of data. This information can be further processed, analyze and get converted to actionable intelligence at Integrated Command and Control Centre of Vadodara city and the outcome of this data will be used intelligently by VSCDL, to improve various industries and services within the city such as traffic & surveillance, public transport, facilities, advertising, and many more. This project also aims to create Wi-Fi hotspots in all ward offices of the VMC (Urban Local Body) that would enable a citizen to engage with the government bodies. All government websites would be accessible free-of-cost through these hotspots.

The main objective of this initiative is connecting Vadodara city with the best Public Wi-Fi service, through Continuous Improvement and the Pursuit of Excellence in operations and citizen satisfaction resulting in long-term sustainable value for all stakeholders. There are no services that are available for free in a developing country. Everything comes at huge costs. But VSCDL has taken a giant step in conceptualizing and implementing this project that provides free Wi-Fi to the citizens, that too, without any financial burden to the government authorities. This also cuts through the regional, social, and gender barriers. The citizens can access 100/MB for 30 minutes of Internet free of cost, and all Government of India(GoI) websites are 24*365 days free. As part of Digital India mission, there is an increasing number of government services being made available online (in electronic form). For poor people, who cannot afford paid-internet, a digital divide is created. This project aims to remove this digital divide and create the necessary online infrastructure to increase Internet reach to the common citizen. This way, the public delivery system becomes responsive, transparent and efficient as more and more citizen engages with the government electronically.

Industry - Education- Education is one of the most important consumer purchases in developing countries. It is also an important reason to go online because so many traditional education outlets struggle to provide quality and reliability. Public sector – Free access to the government websites, access to transport and logistics related information Innovation – Business Model - The business model is designed in such a way that there is a win-win situation for the city administration as well as the project concessioner. The project is being run in PPP mode, with positive premium (i.e. a share of business revenue) to be paid to VSCDL by the concessioner during 15 years of project duration. The VSCDL will earn a revenue of Rs 22.41 Crores from this project, in addition to the city getting free Wi-Fi services as mentioned above. Leverage the Power of IoT through CCC - The true value of the Internet of Things really comes together with the integration of data. It is critical to translate city behavior to unique personas and create a single view of the city, to achieve this the feeds from the poles are further processed, analyze and get converted to actionable intelligence at Vadodara City ICCC. Infrastructure- Intelligent Pole (iPole) – Intelligent Poles are designed to increase urban efficiency and helping solve many urban problems due to their ability to incorporate smart elements such as, Environment Sensors, City Surveillance, Smart Parking, Variable Messaging Sign Boards, Emergency Call Box and Public Address System etc. that can be installed on Intelligent Poles, thereby saving cost in other projects.

The initiative should improve people’s lives, notably by enhancing the contribution of public services to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the SDGs. a. Please explain how the initiative improves the delivery of public services (200 words maximum) VSCDL identified free public Wi-Fi Internet to its citizen, is a necessity for equal opportunity and social mobility. Public Wi-Fi project will help citizens’ of Vadodara to reach, connect, and empower people throughout the city to improve education, increase citizen engagement, and further bring more opportunities. It will also improve public administration through the delivery of services online. The Smart Billboards that are attached to the poles will display civic and public services related messages/information, such as rain alerts, Swachhata related messages, Swine Flu alerts etc, making public service delivery efficient. Intelligent poles are designed to increase Vadodara’s urban efficiency (creating Common Street Level Infrastructure) and helping solve many urban problems due to their ability to incorporate smart elements such as, Environment Sensors, City Surveillance (CCTV Cameras), Smart lighting, Smart Parking, Variable Messaging Sign Boards, Emergency Call Box and Public Address System etc. that can be installed on Intelligent Poles, also thereby saving cost in other projects. Vadodara Smart City has also set up a Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) with Intelligent City Operation Centre frame/work. The Public Wifi usage patterns shall be analyzed and get converted to actionable intelligence at Integrated Command and Control Centre of Vadodara city and the outcome of this data will be used intelligently by VSCDL to improve various industries and services within the city.

The expansion of Internet through Wi-Fi in India could stimulate economic expansion, job growth, and poverty reduction on an unprecedented scale. To do so, we must broaden Internet access and deepen the level of engagement of those who are at best nominally connected. The Internet has changed the way we communicate. Today, the Internet allows us to connect with people across the globe and delivers services to global communities that enable, share knowledge, empower, and offer lots of conveniences. At many places, current 3G/4G cellular network reach is an issue. Vadodara city wants to keep its citizen always connected with Wi-Fi Auto-Connect feature, which will lead the user to freely roam around the city, by connecting to nearby Wi-Fi hot-spots. The 3G/4G/5G mobile antenna installed on Intelligent Poles will further enhance cellular connectivity. The Wi-Fi service will be free for all and will surpass gender inequality and socio-economic discrimination. The public service advertisement/messages that will be displayed on the smart billboards will benefit the general public and will help spread awareness about critical issues. This is also a huge benefit to the senior citizens and young students who usually and limited or restricted access to the internet.

Citizens of Vadodara City:  Citizens will get free Wi-Fi for 100 MB/30 minutes daily (whichever is first)  Over and above this, they will get free accessing for Government websites  Beyond free usage, citizens can purchase additional Wi-Fi data pack at nominal rates  OneVadodara Mobile app is also being development, in which there is a panic button and special module of Senior Citizen/Women. Combining these two initiatives, senior citizens of Vadodara are highly benefited. Access via this Mobile app would be free for all. Government Bodies:  Intelligent Poles will have provision to install other smart elements as well as street lights which will save cost in other projects  Smart billboards will display civic & public services related messages such as rain/flood alerts, Swine Flu alerts, etc.  Each Intelligent Pole will have provision to install other smart elements that would save the cost of other projects (Police CCTV, Integrated CCC etc.) and avoid duplicate expenses.  The poles will have fancy aesthetically designs including Gazebo, fancy LED street-lights (Please refer design illustrations attached)  This will create Digital Backbone for the city, in terms of additional OFC pairs being made available to VSCDL, for free. Concessioner (Indus Towers Limited):  The Intelligent Poles have provision to install 2G/3G/4G (and upcoming technology such as 5G) mobile Antenna, which can be given on rent to cellular operators  The Smart billboard will generate advertisement revenue from the third party.

Business Model - The project is being run in PPP mode, with a premium to be paid to VSCDL by the concessioner during 15 years of project duration. The VSCDL will earn Rs 22.41 Crores (INR 224 Million 100 Thousand) from this project, in addition to the city getting free Wi-Fi services as mentioned above. Intelligent Pole (iPole) – Intelligent Poles are designed to increase Vadodara’s urban efficiency through their ability to incorporate smart elements such as Environment Sensors, City Surveillance, Smart lighting, Smart Parking, Variable Messaging Sign Boards, Emergency Call Box and Public Address System etc. that can be installed on Intelligent Poles Leverage the Power of IoT through CCC- The feeds from the poles are further processed, analyze and get converted to actionable intelligence at CCC. Pervasive Connectivity - At many places, current 3G/4G cellular network reach is an issue, Wi-Fi Internet is the saviour. Vadodara city wants to keep its citizen always connected with Wi-Fi Auto-Connect feature, which will lead the user to freely roam around the city Architecture - The poles will have aesthetically designed multi-functional components and there is no limit to the potential features and functions that can be integrated into the intelligent poles.

The innovation is an adaption of a few similar successful projects implemented in other cities across the globe. However, this is a one of its kind project, in completely Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, with city theme based Smart-Pole design, implemented for the first time in India. Our approach and methodology involve a city theme based design an innovative approach that is different and has been formulated in order to suit the regional requirements. Another salient and innovative feature is that the project is a combination of multiple smart city elements and is a role model for other cities.

Financials: PPP Vendor is investing approx. INR 200 Crores (INR 2 Billion) in this project. Human: Total Team size (from all stakeholders) = 250 (Approximate) Manpower resources from three stakeholders have been working to make this project a success -Consultants from PwC, the implementation agency Indus Towers, and overall management team from VSCDL. PricewaterhouseCoopers -PwC has prepared the Detailed Project Report (DPR), Intial Financial Estimates, Business Blueprint and RFP. PwC was also involved in bid management and vendor selection. It is currently managing and supervising the project. Indus Towers Ltdis the system integrator who is executing the project on the ground, and has invested in the project entirely. Vadodara Smart City Development Ltd (VSCDL)is the end client and has provided the space in the city are to set up the poles for Indus Towers and also they have provided Fibre optic which is already available in Vadodara city. Material: As part of this project, 450 intelligent poles (having 12 meter of height and 30 meter of height) would be installed at strategic locations across Vadodara. In first years around 200, Intelligent Poles will be made operational. Rest of poles would be installed in subsequent years. • Each pole will have Wireless Access Point and Smart billboard. The poles will have provision to install other Smart Elements such as CCTV Camera, Environmental Sensor, Public Address System, Emergency Call Box etc.

Yes

Not yet, Smart City Mission (Govt. of India) has sought details of the project for a possibility of adaption by other smart cities, few other smart cities have approached us. Recently this project has received Business World Award for the Innovative idea in smart city conclave and many other cities have expressed their interest in adaptation to their city context.

The Project is being implemented in PPP mode, with Revenue commitment of INR 22.41Crores (INR 224 Million) to VSCDL, over the concession period of 15 years (out of that Wi-Fi service would run for 7 years). PPP Vendor will invest approx. INR 200 Crores (INR 2 Billion) in this project. This project will not have any financial burden on VSCDL, There will be continuous monitoring of the services and infrastructure to ensure that the public gets good quality Wi-Fi service throughout. In addition to Wireless Access Point (Wi-Fi Hot-Spot) and Smart billboards, the true value of the Internet of Things really comes together with the integration of data. It is critical to translate city behaviour to unique personas and create a single view of the city, to achieve this the feeds from the poles are further processed, analyze and get converted to actionable intelligence at Vadodara City Command and Control Centre. CCC offers unmatched reliability and scalability while leveraging Vadodara city existing infrastructure investments in the best possible way.

The Wi-Fi services project is for 15 years and will be continuously monitored and improved to serve the public. Sustainability:  VSCDL will get a revenue of INR 22.41 Crores (INR 224 Million) over next 15 years.  Each Intelligent Pole will have provision to install other smart elements, which would save the cost of other projects (Police CCTV, Integrated CCC etc.) and avoid duplicate expenses.  The Intelligent Poles have provision to install 2G/3G/4G (and upcoming technology such as 5G) mobile Antenna, which can be given on rent.  The Smart billboard can show advertisement of the third party.  Beyond 100 MB/30 minutes of free usage, premium Wi-Fi data packs can earn additional revenue.  Additional Optical Fibre being installed by the concessioner along the route can generate additional revenue  The poles will have fancy aesthetically designed, visually attractive designs including Gazebo, fancy LED street-lights etc. which will give its distinct look.  The Smart Billboards will display civic and public services related messages/information, such as heavy rain alerts, Swachhata related messages, Swine Flu alerts, etc.  Abundant network bandwidth will allow the city to create Digital Backbone across the city, without any adverse impact on city roads.

Yes

Initially, in the smart city proposal, Wi-Fi and Intelligent Poles were two different projects and it would have cost the client INR 56 Cr (INR 560 million). However, PwC suggested merging both the projects and to execute the project in PPP mode to save money and get additional revenue from the project.

PwC has prepared the Detailed Project Report (DPR), Initial Financial Estimates, Business Blueprint and RFP. PwC had presented a Request for Proposal (RFP) with all the project details to the VSCDL board, and the RFP got selected and approved by the board. The RFP was then released to the public and vendors were called for participation. A Proof of Concept (PoC) was presented by the participants to demonstrate their capabilities and how they would implement the project. Based on the financial and technical evaluations, VSCDL awarded the work order to the system integration agency. Post the evaluation, the vendor was selected and the project started taking shape. So far, 12 Intelligent Poles with Wi-Fi hotspots have been established and are operational. In the coming two years, the remaining poles would be constructed and would be operational. The citizens are able to use the free Wi-Fi service and be benefitted by it.

Indicators for Vendor Selection: Technical capability and Financial Stability of the prospective vendor (i.e. Concessioner) were the two main indicators. A proof-of-concept (real demonstration of the Wifi Hotspot) during the technical evaluation stage of the tender ensured proper scrutiny of the proposed technical solution offered by bidders. Balanced and well-designed Pre-qualifying criteria at the Expression of Interest stage and RFP stage ensured that only those companies who can bring financial resources to be invested in this project can move forward in the evaluation stage. Indicators during Operations Network Management Syst3em (NMS) is being used to monitor the performance of the Wifi hotpots. Strong SLA being imposed upon the concessioner ensures 99% uptime of the wifi hotpots. The landing page of the hot-spot login captures certain basic information about the user, that helps the project to get insight on the usage patterns for free public Wifi and helps government to design the offerings better.

The client - VSCDL, PwC – Consultants / Project Management Consultants, Indus Towers - System Integrator – are the flag bearers of this project who have jointly designed and implemented this initiative and also continuously monitoringthe outcome of the project. VSCDL is the end client and has provided the space in the city are to set up the poles for Indus Towers and also they have provided Fibre optic which is already available in Vadodara city in order to ensure the project is started immediately without any delays. VSCDL has helped Indus towers in setting up the Wi-Fi hotspots by providing the required space to erect poles. VSCDL is not charging any Right of Way/Road Restorationcharges, and has made approval processes (for various project deliverables) it very convenient for Indus Towers to take the project forward. This has reduced Indus tower’s troubles substantially and facilitated quick implementation. Vadodara Municipal Corporation (the local government) has provided 2 pairs of fibre optics (of approx. 100 kilometer of length in city), which is part of a different city wide CCTV project. PwC has prepared the Detailed Project Report (DPR), Initial Financial Estimates, Business Blueprint and RFP. PwC had also prepared the Request for Proposal (RFP) for vendor selection. PwC, as Project Management Consultants for this project, coordinated with the client regularly and helped in overcoming all the hurdles and supporting in the successful implementation of the project. PwC liaises with the vendor and the client for smooth execution of the project as part of regular project monitoring. Monitoring the progress, addressing issues if any, submitting regular status updates to the client, are a few of the critical activities being performed by PwC. Indus Towers Ltd: Indus is the concessioner (System Integrator) executing the project on the ground, and has invested in the project, entirely in PPP model. Indus Towers Ltd, the biggest telecom tower company in India, is primarily focused on providing Telecom Infrastructure services to major Telecom operator.Incorporated in November 2007, Indus Towers Limited has been promoted under a joint venture between entities of Bharti Group including Bharti Infratel Limited (rendering telecom and tower infrastructure services in India under the brand name Airtel & Bharti Infratel Limited respectively), Vodafone India (rendering telecom services under the brand name Vodafone) and Aditya Birla Telecom (rendering telecom services under the brand name Idea), to render passive infrastructure services to telecom service providers.

The key lesson learnt from this initiative is that if the country needs to develop and be digitally empowered, it is essential to first educate the citizens and make them aware about the services that are available to them. Also, by waving off the cost of the Wi-Fi and by promoting the free service, it directly helps in spreading awareness among the citizens and helps in the digital inclusion of the people The initiative can be improved by regularly monitoring the progress and by regularly updating the services based on the situational and environmental conditions and by addressing the issues faced by customers if any. Also, a similar model can be followed in the other parts of the country as a Role Model to leverage and improve the digital literacy and social awareness.