International Journal of Applied Engineering Research ISSN 0973-4562 Volume 12, Number 24 (2017) pp. 15378-15383
© Research India Publications. http://www.ripublication.com
15378
Mapping of the Assets and Utilities: A vision for the development of Smart
Cities in India
Arshad Ahamad Sujauddin Momin
Postgraduate scholar, Department of Civil Engineering,
Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Symbiosis International University,
Gram: Lavale, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Orcid Id: 0000-0001-7507-8345
Sagar Kolekar
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering,
Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Symbiosis International University,
Gram: Lavale, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Orcid Id: 0000-0002-5006-9722
Abstract
Union cabinet has announced to develop 100 smart cities in
India. Also, the government of India has introduced new
schemes such as “Amrut” for improving the overall efficiency
of existing cities. As any city or townships grow over a time it
becomes essential to have frontlines of data management with
an effective reporting system. Looking for the vision to
develop smart cities it is important that our nation should look
for a modern approach and implement the same for efficient
management and maintain their assets and utility
infrastructure. This paper provides a detailed literature review
and a framework that can be used for the mapping of the
existing utilities. It is proposed to develop comprehensive
Asset and Utility management system with a set of exhaustive
tools meeting the accurate digital asset mapping, monitoring,
and evaluation and planning requirements of the Municipal
Corporations. In order to develop such system, it is necessary
to carry out an extensive field survey of all the assets and
utilities present in the area of interest using different
surveying techniques and equipment. The survey shall also
require the use of geophysical tools such as cable and pipe
locators and Ground Penetrating Radars for mapping the
underground infrastructure facilities.
Keywords: Utility Mapping, Geophysical Survey, Smart City,
Utility Detection
INTRODUCTION
The Government of India has announced to develop 100 smart
cities all over the country. The population in urban cities is
increasing day by day and it is been predicted by the experts
that urban population would be doubled by 2050.
Development of the smart cities that will use advanced
technology for improving the overall performance and reduce
costs and resource consumption is the need of the hour. Cities
in all across the world are already working towards the
smartening their infrastructure. Apart from developing new
smart cities government of India has also initiated new
scheme in the name of “Amrut” for the improvement of the
existing cities.
Every municipal corporation or any organization that deals
with the Utilities have the responsibility to provide rear line
engineering support to the civilian while maintaining their
assets in a cost-effective manner. On the other side, these
organizations face a significant challenge in tracking the
location, quantity, condition, maintenance, and status of their
fixed Assets and Utilities.[1]
To do this effectively, it is important to understand where
assets such as offices, warehouses, pipelines, electrical cables
are located. In the past, multiple software tools were required
for viewing parcels, streets, addresses, sewers, streetlights and
other elements of a work site. Nowadays, with the
development of computers, network software, hardware and
GIS allows users to efficiently capture, store, view,
manipulate and retrieve any geographically referenced
information and it is possible to develop a system that can
efficiently manage all the assets and utility-related data at one
central location.[2]
GIS-Based asset and utility management system which will
enable the user to know precisely where assets and Utilities
(including Underground Utilities) are located in the need of
the hour. Using GIS-based Asset and Utility Management
System for this will give the user a more accurate reflection of
real-world circumstances and will allow such organizations to
make better business decisions. This will also equip the user
with an effective tool for physical planning (e.g. Infrastructure
planning, Excavation planning, Maintenance plans and
Breakdowns).[3]
Through this paper, an effort has been made to collect
different surveying techniques and decide a suitable
methodology for GIS-based mapping of all the assets and
utilities including underground utilities that will provide the
organizations such as Municipal corporations, town planning
authorities an effective tool for the management and decision
making.