NEW DELHI, Mar 23: Technology forms an important component of smart cities but its actually innovation and cooperation for sustainable growth that goes into building such infrastructure, Amsterdam Mayor Eberhard van der Laan here today said.
The Narendra Modi government has planned to build 100 smart cities and, India in 2013 had already signed an MoU with the Netherlands on technical cooperation in the fields of spatial planning and architecture, among others.
Laan, who is leading a business delegation of about 60 representatives from the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area to India, also emphasised on the need to find the "real elements" that goes behind building smart city.
"Smart cities are all about innovation and cooperation.
There are theories that say that it is technology-driven. Of course, there is a very important technological element in it.
But I think it comes from the cooperation.
"A smart city is a city where social and technological infrastructure and solutions facilitate and accelerate sustainable economic growth," he said, during a round table on smart cities here.
To make his point, Laan cited the example of New York City, where, he claimed, the concept of "time schedule" was developed. "That was the key factor behind New York's success apart from trade and invention."
The round table was taking a lead from the UPA-regime MoU signed between the countries on technical cooperation in the fields of spatial planning and architecture, transport, water and waste management, and sustainable building.
During the event, various experts from the two countries also showcased and explained their approach to building smart cities through a series of presentations.
