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Devendra Fadnavis, Tel Aviv Mayor agree to cooperate on smart cities

After detailed discussions between two sides they agreed to cooperate and facilitate in exchange of information and best practices, particularly in Tel Aviv.

By PTI | Updated:
Devendra Fadnavis, Tel Aviv Mayor agree to cooperate on smart cities
TEL AVIV: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai today agreed to cooperate in building smart cities and explore the Indian IT potential to increase efficiency of smart urban solutions after holding wide-ranging talks here.

Fadnavis was briefed by Tel Aviv Mayor and his team of experts on the concept and implementation of the Smart City project in his city, which was adjudged as the 'World's Smartest City' at the Smart City Expo World Congress held in 2014.

Maharashtra is a rapidly industrialising state with a vibrant IT economy witnessing increasing urbanisation and aspires to create sustainable and friendly urban spaces that integrate the use of technology, social media, community participation and e-governance to build smart cities in cities like Nagpur, Mumbai, Aurangabad, Amravati and Nasik of global standards.

After detailed discussions between two sides they agreed to cooperate and facilitate in exchange of information and best practices, particularly in Tel Aviv.

Some of the areas that were particularly outlined for cooperation included community outreach and participation through use of social media and open data, online municipal services, traffic and parking management through IT, security and emergencies, promoting a Start-up City and youth entrepreneurship, green construction and rational land use to create an appealing urban environment etc.

The two sides agreed to continue discussions related to common challenges faced by modern cities and possible solutions, explore the possibility of using Indian IT capabilities to increase efficiency of smart urban solutions and to implement the above by facilitating exchange of experts and city officials and if appropriate through harnessing Israeli smart technologies and solutions.
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It was further agreed that officials of the government of Maharashtra and the municipality of Tel Aviv would hold further discussions to suggest concrete steps to implement the above understandings.

Huldai invited the government of Maharashtra to send a delegation to his city to participate in the Te Aviv Innovation festival to be held on September 6-7 to understand the use of innovation in building smart cities.

Fadnavis who arrived here yesterday invited the Tel Aviv Mayor to Maharashtra to continue discussions and to promote the close friendship between the people of India and Israel.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister is on a three-day visit to Israel to participate in Agritech conference that showcases Israel's technological advancement in the field of agriculture.
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During his trip, he will also be meeting Israeli Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir, senior officials from various ministries, including MATIMOP, the nodal government agency for research and development cooperation.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma is also expected to arrive here tomorrow with his delegation for the conference.
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Cisco's campus in Bangalore: Lessons for PM Modi's smart cities
1/15
Moinak Mitra, ET Bureau

As the Chief Globalisation Officer at Cisco, Wim Elfrink prides himself on applying digital overlay to physical infrastructure.

He's also the brain behind the 2.18 million square feet Cisco Smart Campus in Bengaluru that houses eight glass-and-concrete buildings showcasing a digitally connected and sustainable environment where 8,500-odd techies don't have an assigned workplace.

The campus ecosystem resembles a smart city and is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's big idea of digitising India by setting up 100 smart cities.
Moinak Mitra, ET Bureau

As the Chief Globalisation Officer at Cisco, Wim Elfrink prides himself on applying digital overlay to physical infrastructure.

He's also the brain behin..
Read More
Though Elfrink is based out of Cisco's global HQ at San Jose, he's been a regular to the Bangalore campus since his India stint in 2007.

In his words, the campus is a smart city in itself, even more advanced than the San Jose headquarters of Cisco Systems.
Though Elfrink is based out of Cisco's global HQ at San Jose, he's been a regular to the Bangalore campus since his India stint in 2007.

In his words, the campus is a smart city in itself, ev..
Read More
A walkabout in the Cessna Business Park where the 32-acre Cisco SEZ is the lone corporate surrounded by LG, InMobi and a few other companies outside its gates gives a sense of the expanse and an evolving digital architecture that caters to the demands of the Gen Y employees, who make up roughly 25 per cent of its population (Cisco India contributes to 60 per cent of Gen Y staff company-wide globally).

As the younger workforce prefers a seamless environment for day-to-day activities, it ties in quite naturally with the company's vision of work-live-play-learn.
A walkabout in the Cessna Business Park where the 32-acre Cisco SEZ is the lone corporate surrounded by LG, InMobi and a few other companies outside its gates gives a sense of the expanse and an evol..
Read More
Cisco employees can book a work station through the global network by scanning the QR code in their device. It then extends to a higher degree of personalization wherein the IT registration mode tosses up the employee's preferences—lighting, air-conditioning, TV channels, phone profile preferences, and even the blinds setup.

Simply put, you get to choose not only your workplace for the day but also your ambient light and temperature zone at the touch of a button.
Cisco employees can book a work station through the global network by scanning the QR code in their device. It then extends to a higher degree of personalization wherein the IT registration mode toss..
Read More
Employees can access their seat for the day much before entering the campus, be it next to friends at work or by the cool confines of a Zen-like garden.

And when they are done for the day, the seat is up for grabs again, thereby increasing space utilization campus-wide, which today sits at 58 per cent.
Employees can access their seat for the day much before entering the campus, be it next to friends at work or by the cool confines of a Zen-like garden.

And when they are done for the day, th..
Read More
Of course, Cisco is high on tele-presence, an innovation the company has perfected over the years and high-definition screens abound in the campus that hook on to 600-odd Cisco offices worldwide, as well as with the location of clients and partners.
Of course, Cisco is high on tele-presence, an innovation the company has perfected over the years and high-definition screens abound in the campus that hook on to 600-odd Cisco offices worldwide, as ..
Read More
The Bangalore campus is perhaps the most connected in the Cisco ecosystem.

People can pick any conference room, and adjust the lights, shutters or even control the AC.
The Bangalore campus is perhaps the most connected in the Cisco ecosystem.

People can pick any conference room, and adjust the lights, shutters or even control the AC.
Talking of security, the company's transport buses, used by 30 per cent of the staff, are fitted with GPS tied to the Transport Control Room.

Apart from route information, even if the driver deviates from the prescribed route or over-speeds, an alert is generated.
Talking of security, the company's transport buses, used by 30 per cent of the staff, are fitted with GPS tied to the Transport Control Room.

Apart from route information, even if the driver d..
Read More
Moreover, all transport vehicles come equipped with RFID tag readers.

In other words, staff are supposed to swipe in on entry and swipe out on exit. If they do not get off at a registered place, which is the drop-off point, an alert again gets generated. For those who prefer to drive down to work, parking is made easy.

Though the campus has room for 2,200 cars, there are sensors on the ground that pick up whether a parking lot is occupied or empty. So the employee gets to choose his parking lot much in advance over his registered device and can park without any hassle. The idea is to manage parking efficiently.
Moreover, all transport vehicles come equipped with RFID tag readers.

In other words, staff are supposed to swipe in on entry and swipe out on exit. If they do not get off at a registered plac..
Read More
On campus, efficiency flows even in the business of food. The five cafeterias can accommodate roughly 6,000 people. This is where the 'Connected Café' solution comes in handy providing information on where things lie.

While the main kiosk on the entrance to cafes is one way to look at things—menu, availability— anyone can do the same from their device. Giri Govindrajalu, Director IT, Cisco India swishes his iPad and goes to the Connected Café app where he pinpoints to a North Indian Thali with 1,259 kilo calories.
On campus, efficiency flows even in the business of food. The five cafeterias can accommodate roughly 6,000 people. This is where the 'Connected Café' solution comes in handy providing information on..
Read More
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Devendra Fadnavis |smart cities |Ron Huldai |Smart City Expo World Congress |Tel Aviv Mayor

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