TV
The ambitious Smart Digital Kiosk project in Smart City Bhubaneswar has allegedly turned into a symbol of failed execution, as most of the kiosks installed across the state capital since 2019 now lie defunct and neglected.
Under the Smart City Mission, 75 kiosks were set up at prominent locations like Vani Vihar, Shishu Bhavan Chhak, OCAC Tower, and Niladri Vihar Park along Janpath Road. Of these, 25 kiosks were installed on key roads while the remaining 50 were spread across various wards. Some were solar-powered.
Each kiosk, costing around Rs 10 lakh, was equipped with large touchscreens and applications that allowed citizens to book bus, train, and flight tickets, access tourism info, make mobile recharges, and even call emergency services. The project was implemented by Pune-based Honeywell Automation India Ltd at a total cost of Rs 8 crore.
Despite the promise, most kiosks allegedly stopped functioning just months after installation. Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL), the nodal agency, has shown little initiative to revive or maintain the infrastructure.
“These smart kiosks have been lying defunct for the last five years. They were used to charge mobile phones, book tickets, check bus routes. If it is not needed, why these were installed,” asked a Bhubaneswar Resident.
Echoing the same, another resident said, “If everyone has a smartphone, why were these kiosks set up? Why was the revenue misused? Likewise, the Mo Cycle was a fail.”
Notably, Bhubaneswar was ranked first in the first phase of the Smart City Mission in 2016. The city had proposed 32 projects under the initiative, with Rs 490 crore released by the Centre. However, in a written reply in Parliament, Union Minister Kaushal Kishore informed that the Centre ceased funding the SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) on March 31, 2025. Only one project worth Rs 15 crore remains incomplete, with instructions issued to finish it urgently.
Ironically, much like the ‘Mo Cycle’ initiative, the Smart Digital Kiosks project, once hailed as a citizen-centric innovation, now stands as another failed dream. BSCL officials did not respond to repeated attempts for comment.
