IAS Officer’s Brilliant Urban Innovations Bring Global Recognition to Maharashtra’s Pimpri Chinchwad

IAS officer Shekhar Singh's initiatives helped Maharashtra's Pimpri Chinchwad become the only Indian city to be in the world's top 15 cities shortlisted for the Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation.

By Sowmya Mani

December 14, 2023

In a notable distinction, Pimpri Chinchwad received the Medal of Honour of the 6th Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation.

This city in Maharashtra is the only Indian city shortlisted for the award. It emerged amongst the top 15 out of 193 cities spanning 54 countries across the world due to its urban initiatives.

In line with our commitment to providing comprehensive care for all segments of the society, The #PCMC is setting up a state-of-the-art welfare center for Divyangs (differently-abled) individuals in Morewadi.
The Divyang Bhavan will serve as a center for the holistic development… pic.twitter.com/4BaRUNoiC0
— Shekhar Singh (@shekhardalal) November 23, 2023

“The city’s ground-breaking initiative under the Navi Disha programme, where women-led groups manage community toilets, was pivotal in securing this accolade,” the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) administration said on X (formerly Twitter).

In a remarkable achievement, Pimpri Chinchwad has been awarded the prestigious Medal of Honor at the Secretariat of Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation on Thursday held in Guangzhou, China. pic.twitter.com/J9cmqUlNIr
— PCMC Smart Sarathi (@PCMCSarathi) December 7, 2023

This award shows how the PCMC, led by IAS officer Shekhar Singh, worked hard for sustainable urban development. They’ve used innovative and sustainable methods to enhance urban life.

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The corporation’s dust suppression vehicles use recycled sewage water for cleaner roads and better air.

The state-of-the-art Dust Suppression Fog machines and Road Washers / Sprinklers recently introduced by the #PCMC, exclusively utilize treated/recycled water from our Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). Drinking water or groundwater will never be used in these machines.

Both the… pic.twitter.com/pw6bz9NuFB
— Shekhar Singh (@shekhardalal) November 14, 2023

Residents can monitor their waste from pickup to disposal via the ‘Smart Sarthi’ app.

#Honor for PCMC!
Our city has proudly been recognized with the prestigious "City with Best Non-Motorised Transport System" award at the Urban Mobility India 2023 (UMI) awards, presented by MoHUA, especially for the NMT-friendly neighborhood of Pimple Saudagar.

With a focused… pic.twitter.com/wofckZgWlz
— Shekhar Singh (@shekhardalal) October 29, 2023

Additionally, the PCMC turns waste into energy at the Moshi Waste-to-Energy plant, generating around 12 MW of electricity. Efforts also include promoting rainwater harvesting and providing subsidies to convert autos to electric vehicles.

Sachin ji, the damaged cover has been replaced with a new one. Please do update me on the same.
Thank you for bringing it to our notice.
The department is looking into all the potholes in the area too. #MyPCMC @PCMCSarathi @pcmccomm https://t.co/f4tmtgtAFt pic.twitter.com/fMxOUF0WIf
— Shekhar Singh (@shekhardalal) October 15, 2023

(Edited by Pranita Bhat)

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