Smart Cities Mission Faces Delays, Misses Deadlines After Decade

• India's Smart Cities Mission, launched a decade ago, faces repeated deadline extensions, with the latest set for December end.
• The mission's completion date was pushed multiple times due to COVID-19 disruptions and unfinished projects.
• While overall completion is 96%, significant disparities exist; cities like Patna excel, others like Port Blair lag.
• Lingering projects lead to rising costs, with ongoing projects averaging higher expenses than completed ones.
• Integrated Command Centres show high completion, but smart mobility and social infrastructure lag.

Why It Matters: India's Smart Cities Mission struggles with delays, cost overruns, and uneven progress after a decade.