An overview of Vadodara Smart City transformation in line with Smart Cities Mission implementation in India

Vadodara, a city with rich historical and cultural significance, offers a unique case study for examining urban transformations in post-liberalization India. This research addresses a critical gap in the literature on the evolution of mid-sized cities in the country, which are often overshadowed by megacities like Mumbai and Delhi. While much scholarly attention has been devoted to large urban centers, there is limited exploration of how cities like Vadodara characterized by a mix of industrial growth, heritage preservation, and shifting socio-economic dynamics navigate the pressures of modernization. The authors aim at examining the growth status of the Smart City Mission initiative in Vadodara in the period of 2016–2024. Moreover, authors study the budgetary sources of the initiative, the allocation of the initiative, and the usage of the services provided by the initiative. The intention is to investigate the ways that the social and economic landscape of Vadodara and its residences have been affected by the initiative. To this end, the authors have carried out a field study, a survey consisting of 100 randomly selected individuals, and a secondary data study based on sources like reports and documents. At the end, the authors provide the insights gained on the implications of the smart city policies adopted as well as on the obstacles and challenges encountered. Additionally, the paper addresses a relevant problem by considering various impacts of the smart city initiative, like Quality of Life impacts as well as technological, economic, and sustainable development impacts.