E-Governance and Smart Cities: Cases of Ahmedabad and Hyderabad

Abstract

Smart cities are smart not only in terms of higher level of services but also having an efficient and effective system. Its locationality brings balanced regional development. Better governed institutions are the one where procedures are transparent. E-Governance has increased the interlinkages between different departments. Through E-Governance, services provided are varying from birth/death certificate, booking of community facilities and town planning. The usage of mobile for M-Governance also provides last mile connectivity and its applicability streamlines not only the data collection but also analysis. The chapter attempts to understand the definitions of E-Governance and its parameters. Through two case studies of Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, it tries to find answers of: whether E-Governance or M-Governance’s implementation led to transformative governance including increased participation or transparent administration or not? and where both the cities stand in the 5 stages of E-Governance evolution from basic web presence to well-connected smart governance and 4 model of non-transformation of government structure to creation of smart administration to rearranging the position of government within the urban system.