Singapore shows interest in building smart satellite city

NEW DELHI: Singapore has shown interest in partnering with India in the urban development sector, including development of a new smart satellite city and a new capital for Andhra Pradesh.

Top leadership of Singapore conveyed their areas of interest during extensive talks Urban Development and Housing Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu held with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and former PM and Emeritus Minister Goh Chok Tong, in Singapore on Thursday.

During the talks, both sides decided to set up committees to further examine and concretise the areas of cooperation between the two countries in the context of India’s initiative to build 100 news smart cities, develop infrastructure in 500 towns and cities, development of heritage cities and massing urban housing programme.

Naidu and the Singapore leaders spent considerable time in acquainting each other with India’s initiatives in urban sector and the experiences of Singapore leadership in making the city state as one of the models of smart city. Naidu sought Singapore’s assistance in promoting smart city features like intelligent transport systems, e-urban governance, water management, recycling and solid waste management.

Naidu was in Singapore on his way back after attending the Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development in Seoul.