The Paradigm Constraint in Varanasi’s Smart City Project

The MoU for developing India’s first Smart City -Varanasi (Benaras / Kaashi)- utilizing Japan’s experience of their own smart city “Kyoto” is a global news. All hearts of Varanasi are praying for its quick start and completion. The operational challenges involved in building Smart city in Varanasi are similar to developing any Vanity city. According to the McKinsey Global Institute’s extensive study of global cities, by 2025, 40% of GDP contribution will come from smart cities in developing countries. China is developing its own 100 smart cities like India. At the Burning Ghats of Varanasi, before burning the body there is a ritual of smashing the skull else it will explode under the heat of flames. Similarly, if we can smash dead skull (worsening quality of life) by the bamboo of political will, it can signal the rebirth of an avatar- Smart City infusing new life.

 

Varanasi, the Spiritual capital city of India is barely breathing a quality life.  It will not be wrong if I say that most non-Varanasi, hindu visitors, come here or are being brought here to either cremate their relative or to get cremated. The foreign tourists watch this with a mixed response. For them, the holy city where the final send off is given to the Hindus, how this can be so uncivilized and in such a sad state of affairs. It should be place of omnipresent awe and wonder instead of omnipresent aah and buffalo’s dung-thunder.

 

Identifying the major constraints for the Smart city project whether physical, policy, paradigm, or market constraint is important.  The government’s objective is to put the city on the fastest route to profitability. Kyoto’s model of transformation in MoU means “what to change to”. The focused elements mentioned in MoU means “what to change”– heritage conservation, city modernization and field of art, culture and academics.

 

Signing of MoU is not a guarantee that smart city will forever remain smart unless the paradigm constraint in “what to change”-  is also highlighted or brought to light. Let the spiritual uniqueness of this holy city be reminded, amplified and magnified to locals before the smartcity projects starts. Fishes caught from far off corners of sea remains fresh in the fish market, if kept along with a baby shark in shipping containers. This ancient city also needs to place this baby shark -‘building true respect for the dead’, along with the Japanese and global infrastructural fishes that will be shipped to Varanasi in the container made of political will. Barring the airforce, army and navy community, the respect for both the death and life has not caught the fancy among civilians. Fulfilling the rituals alone is not the sign of complete respect as the whole process. Respect for death is not respect for life. Duty and love are not same. Love encompasses duty but not vice-versa.

 

This paradigm constraint looks like a paradox to an outsider but not an insider. And the unique locational advantage of Varanasi, if elevated, will definitely support in transforming its life. It shouldn’t be a totally stick & carrot approach but also a “fall in love” and “get kissed” approach. Fall in Love with life and get respectfully kissed when dead.

 

Government will-power and government itself is normally not strong. Hence the importance of policy constraint, which is now more of a strength rather a constraint. The physical constraint of uplifting the ancient city, thousands of years old, with 22,000 temples structures, will definitely act as major physical constraint. Even before its beginning, online retailers had opened their virtual market doors for giving a boost to Banaras weavers. Local real-estate agents are busy guiding Hospitality Industrialists to sign big land purchases. Is this the pre-good luck showers of Rs.7,060 crores allocated for “rejuvenating” Indian economy by building smart city here? It seems market constraint is also disappearing! Dubai is encashing upon its uniqueness now as a global shopping destination. Varanasi also can market its uniqueness.

 

One philosopher was passing through a construction site where he saw three workers working. He asked the first one, “what are you doing”. Worker replied that he was cutting stones. The philosopher moved ahead and asked the second the same question and he replied that he was working to earn bread and butter. The Third one was singing and working and upon being asked the same question, he replied that he was building the God’s Temple.

 

If kaashi can bless the dead then why can’t life be blessed by its very own human creations?