An ambitious project meant to propel Nagpur into a tech-savvy future now stands as a stark monument to neglect. The smart kiosks, installed across city bus stops under the high-profile ₹500 crore Nagpur Smart City initiative, have been rendered completely useless, wrapped in grime and cobwebs.
From Digital Guides to Dusty Relics
Envisioned as one-stop digital touchpoints for commuters, these kiosks were designed to provide vital information. Screens were supposed to display bus routes, destination details, government services, and emergency alerts. Instead, they present a picture of utter decay. Glass panels are coated with thick dust, cobwebs hang from corners, and doors appear permanently jammed. At many locations, the screens remain blank and lifeless, with some kiosks even hidden behind pillars, defeating their very purpose.
A Systemic Failure of Planning and Coordination
The scale of the failure is extensive. Officials confirm that as many as 65 smart kiosks across Nagpur are non-functional. Installed through a private firm under a project routed via Maha-IT, the crucial integration with various government departments, including the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), never materialized as planned. Consequently, most kiosks have never been operational since their installation years ago.
On-ground inspections reveal the depth of the neglect:
- At Shraddhanandpeth bus stop, notices hang crookedly and debris litters the kiosk floor.
- At the NIT Swimming pool bus stop, vent panels are clogged, touch screens are scratched or filthy, and the structures look dull and outdated.
Commuters, often waiting just feet away, remain largely unaware or indifferent to these defunct structures, continuing to rely on conductors or word-of-mouth for information.
Public Money Wasted, Accountability Questioned
Local residents express anger and frustration, seeing the kiosks as symptomatic of deeper governance issues. "It's not just about broken machines; it's about poor planning, lack of coordination, and zero follow-up," said Pramod Dhomne, a Nagpur resident. He emphasized that public money was spent and infrastructure was created, but with no ownership to ensure it actually serves citizens.
The failure of these kiosks has rendered a significant investment wasteful, undermining the larger push to digitize urban services and improve the daily commuter experience. With the structures continuing to decay, urgent steps are needed to either revive, repurpose, or remove them entirely. Despite multiple attempts by journalists, NMC officials could not be reached for comment on this glaring infrastructure failure.
