South Korean Government Expresses Willingness To Build Smart City In India At New Chandigarh
A spokesman from the South Korean Government revealed on Monday that the fourth-largest economy in Asia has expressed its willingness to help in building smart city at New Chandigarh in India by providing technology and funds for the project.
The Indian Express noted last September 1 that the proposal was extended to Punjab delegation, led by deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, by the Korea Telecom on the same day.
The Korean company was asked by Badal during his tour of the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) to submit a proposal of the project that aims to develop New Chandigarh as a new settlement designed as smart city.
He also added that the plan "could be an ideal showcase for a smart city model in India as all necessary smart city solutions could be installed in New Chandigarh which was being built from scratch," Hindustan Times noted last Tuesday.
Aside from that, Badal also suggested another project to Korea Telecom wherein LED lights and safe city (CCTV) solutions would be installed in Ludhiana and Amritsar. Badal have come up with the proposal after the Korean company planned to run its proposed LED lights in one channel.
Finance of India Minister Arun Jaitley said that New Chandigarh would probably be the first Indian city to be designed as smart city, according to a report published on January 13 on India Today.
Meanwhile, Korea Telecom director Ilhwan Park revealed that the company "had a business model in place under which loan could be given to investors from the Exim bank in Korea."
Park also added that the Korean company is open to review other models such as developing smart cities and installation of LED lights and safety city solutions.
