Vijen Smart And Innovative Technology Solutions Private Limited: Creating Next-Gen Dream Cities

Vijen Smart And Innovative Technology Solutions Private Limited: Creating Next-Gen Dream Cities Written by: Kriti Anand Due to the haphazard and unplanned growth in the urban areas, there have been unforeseen impacts on transportation and environment. The unmanageable burden on such infrastructure, particularly the alarming increase in the pollution levels with reducing open spaces and greenery as also the pressing demand for areas in the cities, has led the town planners to think out of the box solutions for innovative concepts and planning techniques. In a recent integrated impact assessment report for the proposed urban renewal scheme for the Mumbai suburbs, Dhingra, S L (2017) has opined in context as below “Eco friendly solutions and out of the box innovative rationale must be devised, developed, experimented and implemented.” The new conceptual plan for development comprising various innovative methods and techniques are mainly for planning and implementation of the retrofitting, redevelopment and Greenfield projects undertaken and proposed under the Smart City Mission of India. It can be categorised into transportation plan, environment plan, and integrated regional plan. Company At A Glance The experts and strategists from various domains such as transportation, IT, edutech, mostly from the reputed IITs are collaborating for achieving the aforesaid objectives, and helping execute holistic development plans for urban infrastructure. The chaotic, untamed growth of metropolitan spaces results in hours wasted on congested roads, a degradation in the quality of life for the people, an increase in levels of pollutants, other adverse effects on the environment, and of course, an avoidable wastage of natural and human resources. To counter these, as Mr. Dhingra put it, “Eco-friendly solutions and out of the box innovations must be devised, developed, experimented and implemented.” Vijen Smart and Innovative Technology Solutions strives to solve these and a myriad of other problems through its expertise in planning and implementation of out-of-the-box solutions for development of Smart cities. Aligned with the Government of India's Smart Cities Mission, that has an objective to promote sustainable and inclusive cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of 'Smart' Solutions, Vijen Solutions provides relevant resolutions with respect to urban growth and development. Vijen Solutions is a reputed organisation lending a hand in the nation's development by providing services such as: Planning & Implementation of SMART Cities Transportation Project Evaluation & decision making EIA and Evaluation & Analysis of MRTS Projects Travel Demand Forecasting using advanced techniques Urban transportation and area development are a priority under the Smart Cities mission. The conceptual plans devised by Vijen Solutions are in accordance with these objectives, focusing on tackling challenges of urban as well as rural development. The company aims towards an inclusive growth with employment opportunities, basic amenities, and a healthy and safe environment for all. The Plan of Action The focus of Vijen Solutions is on elimination of problems that arise in the day-to-day city life. They envisage the difficulties from the public view point. While planning, they anticipate the issues that could come up and try to resolve them through innovative methodologies and advanced technology. With the help of Mr. Dhingra's decades of experience in the field, the company has devised plans that ensure smart and inclusive growth along with beautification of the cities. The use of underground spaces for construction of the metro rail is one of the outstanding solutions that Vijen Solutions came up with. Not only does underground construction mean almost twice the space for construction without any obstacles, it also increases the beneficiality of said space. Increased revenue and multiple land uses are added benefits of the idea. In the current scenario, public transportation planning leaves development behind. According to Mr. Dhingra, the development of transportation services should lead land use development. A transportation-led development would enhance connectivity and sustainable development. He suggests a graded land use method for building infrastructure, with the low income group nearer to the station, and middle and higher income groups and vehicle owners at increasing distances. The ultimate goal is to create travel-free cities, where no one would be more than a kilometre away from the nearby station, and an eco-friendly feeder system would connect every doorstep to the station. A city without travel would mean a city without congestion, pollution and accidents, and an improved lifestyle for all. The planning and development methods envisioned by Vijen Solutions also keep in mind the environmental aftereffects of urban development. Development plans like this release spaces, allowing for designated “city lungs”, like green corridors, gardens, etc. It would create opportunities for the plantation of new and useful varieties of trees, landscaping for aesthetics, and so on. It would add to tourism attraction, generate employment, and contribute to revenues that could be used for further planning and development. The company’s methods promote the use of renewable resources for energy generation and consumption. For instance, to enhance aesthetic and tourism value of rural areas, they conceived of the Fruit On A Tree concept. A speciality of the area, the fruit trees would be organised and maintained throughout the year. Along with generating employment like that of a gardener, a horticulturist, etc, it would add to the collection and export of fruits, common and exotic, that would sustain the economy of the place well. The project adds to the much-needed rural tourism, too. The company has worked alongside National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA) to make all this possible. It has helped in creating plans for Green Cities like Amaravathi and Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, and also worked for the development of hill stations like Shimla, along with metropolises like Delhi airport and Navi Mumbai airport. Mr. Dhingra assisted in Master Planning and Implementation for Mumbai Metro, and was a part of the Technical Advisory Committee, MHRDC, during the construction of Bandra Worli Sea Link. Future Prospects Mr. Dhingra believes in continuous efforts to promote growth through innovative solutions as and when opportunities arise. Vijen Solutions has a goal to conceive beforehand where problems could arise, and present new concept plans accordingly. The company helps in implementation and construction, keeping its focus on inclusive growth and improving the quality of life for all sections of society. Vijen Solutions is also planning to initiate smart classes on virtual platforms for students and professionals globally with the blessings of the faculty from the reputed IITs and other such trainers in various disciplines. They plan to introduce courses on: Technical aspects of the urban and rural development; Basic computer skills for students as well as advanced computing including the AI, IOT and such for professionals; Verbal, arithmetic and analytical skills for entry-level managers and advanced courses for the middle-level and senior managers/ General managers; Yoga and fitness training for a healthy and happy living; In accordance with the objectives of the Smart City Mission of India, skill development and such initiatives and the spirit of “Atmanirbhar Bharat”. Mr Narendra is likely to take charge of the above assisted by Vijendra, under the guidance of Prof Dhingra and in collaboration with the other experts in such fields and areas of knowledge and learning/ vocations etc. Vijen Solutions is set to produce more and varied Integrated Regional plans depending upon variables like topography, climate, demands, requirements and resources. The integrated plans can be implemented in every particular region, and keep in mind at least the next four generations. In view of the manifold benefits of the new conceptual plan for development, it is strongly recommended that the same be implemented in smart cities all over, more usefully in the developing countries. The enabling provisions for successful implementation, comprehensive planning, approach, periodic evaluation and monitoring and iterative up-gradation of the new technologies are equally important.