Introduction

The concept of ‘Smart Cities’ has become very important in developing economies. Here, we look at what exactly is a Smart City and why they are needed. The Services and Applications which are needed to be implemented to make a City ‘Smart’, is described in detail.

Smart Cities: Definition

There is no universally accepted definition of a smart city. It means different things to different cities. The conceptualisation of Smart City, therefore, varies from city to city and country to country, depending on the level of development, willingness to change and reform, resources and aspirations of the city residents. A smart city would have a different connotation in Brazil than, say, Europe. Even in a country, there is no one way of defining a smart city. The definition is constantly changing due to technology innovation. A city is a complex system, involving many different domains, infrastructures, organizations and activities. All of these, needs to be integrated and work together effectively for that city to become Smart. A Smart sustainable city can be considered as an innovative city which uses multiple technologies and other means to improve the efficiency of the city’s operation and services, thereby enhancing the quality of life of its citizens and ensures sustainability with respects to economic, social and environmental aspects [1]. A Smart sustainable city should have forms of Smart ICT infrastructure, Smart mobility, Smart living, Smart economy, Smart environment, Smart governance and Smart citizens. It is about integrating solutions, providing interoperability and cohesion among systems within a city in full collaboration with all stakeholders involved. The fundamental objective of a Smart City would be to ensure that the residents are assured of adequate water, power and gas supplies; good sanitation facilities, reliable and fast urban transport to ensure that they can reach their destination quickly and safely. It should provide good governance and ensure that the residents are involved and participate in decision making process. It should ensure the safety and security of residents at their homes and elsewhere including public places like streets, bus stops, train stations, airports, shopping centres, places of worships etc. It should enable residents to have access to quality healthcare and education even in remote places [2].