Surrounded by lakes and mighty hills, Udaipur has secured an unrivaled place in the map of the country. The insular city sees around 9,000-10,000 visitors daily in peak tourist season during September to March. Recently, Udaipur featured among the ‘to be smart cities’ of Rajasthan, giving rise to expectations and challenges simultaneously.  Experts say, it will be a herculean task in a city that trailed miserably in the recent Swachh ranking to overcome the shortcomings and race ahead to meet higher standards of inclusive development. “Congested roads and lack of parking space are major issues that need to be addressed immediately. On an average, 3,000-4,000 tourists come to the city daily and our infrastructure is not fit enough to endure them,” said Manish Galundia, former president of the Hotel Association.

The city lacks an organized public transport system and non-motorized transport infrastructure with only 3% trips in Udaipur being made using public transport whereas 51% by private vehicles leading to traffic congestion. We require broader roads which are free of encroachments, mechanized parking and flyovers if we really want to aim for the smart city tag, he said. According to environmental engineer Anil Mehta, Lake City is reeling under two major problems of poor water quality and sanitation. “Our lakes are the indicators of public health and hence the foremost concern of the authorities should be curing the lakes and rest everything will fall into place automatically,” Mehta claims. “In a plan made for city development till 2041 by CRISIL on behalf of the Ministry of Urban Development and the World Bank, the sanitation level was categorized in the Red list and Udaipur was stated to be on the brink of public health and environmental emergency requiring immediate remedial action,” Mahesh Sharma, another activist claimed. Sewerage and sanitation are the key areas of concern in the city that lacks an organised sewerage system and treatment facility. The challenge also lies in creation of a city where residents have an environmental friendly and economically vibrant ambiance along with variety of opportunities coupled with sustainable infrastructure. To cater to the tourist needs, adventure sports, entertainment zones, folk centres, cultural villages, etc., need to be developed.