Over the past few decades, India has shown immense growth in different sectors, particularly in technological reforms and the development of smart cities. Times have changed and in 2025, smart cities are not only about technology and artificial intelligence but also about sustainability, smart healthcare, overall safety of citizens and energy maintenance. At present, there are 100 smart cities located in India, offering a myriad range of services: from smart transportation to parking, healthcare, and more.
In this article, we shall explore the top 10 smart cities in India and how they are using IoT, AI and data to revolutionize transportation, energy systems, healthcare, parking and other services.
What is the Smart Cities Mission?
The Smart Cities Mission is a program initiated by the Government of India to promote smart city development by introducing several smart city solutions. Executed on June 25, 2015, by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, this mission aims to provide solutions that create impactful results. These solutions are made with a focus on sustainability and enhancing the quality of life. The primary objective of the Smart Cities Mission is to promote the utilisation of smart solutions to spearhead economic growth and sustainable practices, enhance residents’ security, and drive holistic urban development in smart cities. Moreover, several technology-related and AI-driven projects have also been implemented under the Smart Cities Mission, aiming to enhance the development of smart cities.
How many Smart Cities are there in India?
At present, there are a total of 100 smart cities in India. From a handful of cities, only some are picked to be categorised as smart cities. This categorisation is done based on factors like urban development, population, statutory towns within a city, economic infrastructure, and others. These top smart cities of India share a spectrum of common characteristics.
Almost all of these AI smart cities share features like mixed land use, people-centric planning, urban infrastructure, and recreational spaces. Smart cities are distributed across each state and union territory, with Maharashtra having the highest number of them – 10 smart cities. Utilising advanced technology and smart city solutions, several IoT smart cities have emerged.
Top 10 Smart Cities in India
With a total of 100 smart cities in India, narrowing it down to just the top 10 smart cities becomes quite a challenge. However, after a thorough consideration of the most relevant infrastructural and other parameters, we have curated a list of the top 10 smart cities, in no particular order:
Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Bhubaneshwar is one of the highly rated IoT smart cities in India. With its solid infrastructure and well-developed recreational spaces, the city offers a wide range of smart services. Projects under the Bhubaneswar Smart City Proposal include the BMC-ICOMC Tower, Smart Janpath, Integrated Public Service Center, Smart Roads etc., which have been implemented over time. These projects not only aim to improve the city’s design and appearance but also focus on enhancing the quality of life, with an emphasis on sustainability and environmental considerations. The Smart Cities Mission also envisions Bhubaneswar partnering with both Indian and foreign firms.
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Lucknow is among the best IoT smart cities in India. It has undertaken several initiatives like Swacch Lucknow, Jeevant Lucknow, Sugam Lucknow, and Samrudh Lucknow under the Smart Cities Mission to enhance sustainable living and improve the quality of life of the residents. These initiatives were taken with the aim of making the city more livable, enhancing mobility, increasing prosperity, and improving cleanliness. Moreover, projects like solid waste management, smart-grid systems, wastewater treatment and reuse, and others have been implemented to fulfill the vision of a Smart Lucknow.
Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Indore aims to implement technological reforms and utilise the digital space to enhance urban infrastructure development, and fulfill the vision of an AI smart city. Under the Smart Cities Mission, the key focus areas in Indore include the establishment of healthcare centers, IT and IoT smart city initiatives like smart classroom development, solid waste management, transport and mobility improvements, and more.
Surat, Gujarat
With a primary focus on area-based development, Surat aims to improve its technology services and infrastructure. Several PAN city projects have been implemented to enhance public services, improve the quality of life, and strengthen communication through well-integrated IoT smart cities solutions. The Surat Smart City Proposal for Surat includes ICT-based transport connectivity solutions, aiming to enhance both transportation and communication. The city has also undertaken projects like the city-wide Surat IT-MAC and the Common City Payment System, contributing to its overall development progress.
Pune, Maharashtra
Pune is one of the top smart cities in India, known for its rich heritage and cultural progress. The Pune Smart City Proposal outlines its core objectives of improving infrastructure, introducing sustainable solutions, and establishing robust smart city services. The city strives to make its urban infrastructure future-proof, sustainable, and economical. Additionally, the development of more affordable residential spaces has been prioritised.
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Coimbatore, a beautiful city, is among the top smart cities in India, offering smart services like mixed land use and incredible traffic mobility. Developments in the IT and real estate sectors are immense in Coimbatore Smart City, enabling better growth opportunities. The city features eco-friendly structures, smart traffic management, and excellent CCTV surveillance, boosting overall performance while maintaining energy efficiency.
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
The Smart City Proposal for Ahmedabad includes projects like the Intelligent Transit Management System, city surveillance, Integrated Command and Control Centers, and more. Ahmedabad has one of the richest economic bases in India, with thriving IT and IoT sectors further expanding the scope of urban development. Many strategic solutions have been planned to enhance the city’s infrastructure and technological landscape, all while preserving and enriching its cultural heritage.
Kochi, Kerala
The masterplan for smart city development in Kochi is inspired by an award-winning model. The city is known for its robust road infrastructure and clean environment. A strategic plan has been developed to create smart spaces that include offices, residential areas, retail outlets, hostels, restaurants, and educational institutions. The Smart City initiative for Kochi aims to provide sustainable and healthy living for its residents.
Hyderabad, Telangana
Hyderabad is one of the top smart cities in India, aiming to implement innovative solutions with a vision of promoting efficiency through sustainable and integrated structures. Projects focusing on waste management, smart transportation, and sustainable urban solutions have been developed to save time and enhance comfort for residents. The Smart Cities mission for Hyderabad aspires to enrich public infrastructure while improving the overall quality of life for its citizens.
Jaipur, Rajasthan
Jaipur, known for its tourism and rich heritage, is one of the top smart cities in India. The Smart Cities mission for Jaipur is designed with a vision to enhance its heritage, tourism, infrastructure, and quality of life. The plan focuses on solutions that boost economic, physical, social, and educational aspects of the city. Projects like the Public Bicycle Sharing system, the Tulip Internship, and others have been implemented and have shown great results by promoting healthy lifestyles, improving public health, reducing pollution and overcrowding in public spaces, and enhancing education and skill development among students.
How is IOT giving meaning to the Smart Cities Mission?
Recent developments in IoT systems are helping cities shift towards smarter solutions by enabling services like smart parking, smart waste management, smart water management, and more. IoT sensors and smart CCTV surveillance cameras allow cities to develop more efficiently and rapidly. Moreover, IoT-powered solutions help in development of smart city projects helping a smart city meet its vision and drive real impact. IoT helps optimize public safety, improve mobility, and enable better decision-making in the implementation of the Smart Cities Mission.
How is AI powering Top Smart Cities in India?
AI-powered solutions are being implemented in almost all sectors, whether in educational institutions or infrastructure. From AI-driven machinery to software with real-time impact and optimized processes, everything is helping smart cities develop significantly faster. For example, AI-powered CCTV surveillance can help optimize operations in a place, ensuring smooth functioning by providing real-time monitoring and data-driven analytics, which helps develop effective strategies.
The Future of Smart Cities in India: IoT and AI
With the rise in utilisation of IoT and AI-driven solutions, the future for smart cities looks promising. These cities aim to create a better life for citizens by integrating technology with urban living.
Transline Technologies is committed to empowering Governments and Municipal Bodies with IoT Smart Cities solutions to revolutionise their urban infrastructure. With state-of-the-art ICT systems, AI-powered surveillance, Command Control and Communication Centres, Intelligent Traffic Management and Public Announcement Systems, Transline Technologies has built the technology backbone of major AI smart cities. IoT sensors, coupled with AI Smart City Surveillance.
Get in touch with our Team to explore how we can help you build the next era of digitisation and advanced surveillance for Smart Cities of the future.
