FOA team to be part of Smart Shivamogga

Faculty of Architecture (FOA), Manipal University, will chip in with their knowledge to help Shivamogga, one of the 100 cities selected by the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, to participate in the Smart City, Challenge Stage-2, to gain the status of Smart City.

The students of Masters in Urban Design and Development, Faculty of Architecture, Manipal University, Manipal, have recently presented a road map for Shivamogga’s Sustainable Transition to the City Commissioner Mullai Muhilan M P, who is also the MD of Shivamogga Smart City Ltd.

The students began the study to chalk out a sustainability plan in July 2017 after a preliminary meeting with the city administration and stakeholders. The idea was to make Shivamogga not only smart, but also sustainable. The process involved extensive site analysis and stakeholder consultations, and it also focused on strengthening the relationship among people, culture, physical, and built attributes of the city.

The proposals included areas from integration and networking of ecological layers, to improving their accessibility and preservation. A special emphasis was given on improving the interface of the city with the Tunga River. The study also suggested various ways and means to strengthen public transport, rejuvenation of water bodies, integrated waste management, and enhancing cultural vibrancy in the city.

During the discussions, the City Commissioner suggested that FOA immediately present short term projects which can be fit into the strategies to be implemented under the Smart City Programme. The team was guided by Dr Nandineni Rama Devi, Purushottam Kesar, and Nivedhitha Venkatakrishnan with the support of FOA Director, Prof Nishant H Manapure, who has agreed to present the final project by the end of October. The Faculty of Architecture, Manipal University, will work with the city administration to become the Knowledge Partner in thematic areas of urban planning, design, and policy studies.