UP smart city projects in 10 cities nearly complete with 99 % works commissioned
Indiatimes March 03, 2026 10:40 PM
Uttar Pradesh is moving closer to finalising the bulk of its urban infrastructure and service upgrades under the national Smart City Mission, with officials reporting that nearly all planned work in ten selected cities has been completed. The state government said that of the total 682 projects approved under the federal programme,
677 have been commissioned, leaving only a small number still in progress as of early March 2026.
The ten urban centres included in this phase of the mission are
Agra, Aligarh, Bareilly, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Moradabad, Prayagraj, Saharanpur and
Varanasi. These locations were chosen for targeted development under the Smart Cities Mission launched in 2015, which aims to use technology and infrastructure upgrades to improve living conditions, services and urban management.
Most of the remaining works are expected to be operational soon, with authorities indicating that
three of the unfinished projects could be inaugurated within days and the rest completed by mid‑March. The focus now is on ensuring that systems such as public amenities, digital services, and infrastructure improvements are fully functional and integrated into day‑to‑day urban operations.
Progress on smart city initiatives across the state has not been linear. Early years of implementation saw delays and hurdles, including
audit reviews that flagged irregularities in some projects, which required corrective actions and slowed progress. Despite these challenges, most projects have moved forward, and allocated funds have been utilised within their approved frameworks.
The Smart Cities Mission is a central government scheme designed to transform urban living through projects such as integrated traffic management, improved water and waste systems, enhanced public spaces, and digital governance platforms. In Uttar Pradesh, these efforts have unfolded alongside a parallel
state‑level smart city mission that aims to extend similar infrastructure enhancements to other municipal areas outside the original ten.
While completion rates are high, experts note that the real test will be in how these projects affect daily life for residents. Operational challenges, maintenance costs, and ongoing upgrades will determine whether the investments lead to tangible improvements in mobility, services and quality of life. Cities across India have shown varying levels of success with such initiatives; sustained outcomes often depend on local management capacity and community engagement.
As the deadline for finalising the remaining works approaches, municipal authorities and planners are focused on commissioning services, conducting system tests, and addressing any gaps that could limit the impact of completed infrastructure. If current schedules hold, most Smart City works in these ten Uttar Pradesh cities will soon be available for public use.
