Urban Planning Experts From NSW to assist India in Developing Smart Cities

The NSW Government will send a delegation of urban planning experts to India to provide assistance to local urban planners as the nation embarks on a major development drive.

NSW Premier Mike Baird made the announcement while visiting the state of Gujarat during his first official visit to India.

Mr Baird toured the site of the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) in the city of Ahmedabad, which is set to become one of India’s biggest financial hubs and has similarities to Barangaroo in Sydney’s CBD.

“NSW is an international leader in sustainable urban development and we have offered to share our knowledge and expertise with our Indian friends,” Mr Baird said.

“Gujarat is one of the most populated states in India with 6.2 million residents and reports suggest Ahmedabad is one of the fastest growing cities in the world.

“To address the demand Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has outlined a plan to build 100 Smart Cities featuring high-quality infrastructure and communications technologies to attract the world’s brightest minds.

“GIFT is India’s first Smart City under construction and Prime Minister Modi considers it the model for the nation’s development and reform.

“The NSW Government recognises the mammoth task facing Gujarat and a new partnership will allow us to share our experiences in building sustainable cities.

“We are building Sydney’s new financial centre at Barangaroo, and providing the infrastructure and housing needed to create jobs and address population growth in Western Sydney.

“I will meet with Chief Minister Anandiben Patel to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to pave the way for closer economic cooperation.

“As part of the MOU, NSW will offer to send a delegation from UrbanGrowth and the Barangaroo Delivery Authority to Gujarat to share their knowledge and experiences in building sustainable and connected urban centres.

“The delegation of leading planning experts would travel to India to meet with project managers to share expertise in contemporary planning and major urban renewal.

“India is a priority market for NSW and we see this partnership as an opportunity that will mutually benefit our economies and our populations into the future,” Mr Baird said.