India, March 30 -- On March 20, 2025, Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) officially wound up operations. Before filing it away in urban archives, let's reflect-what was promised, what was delivered, and what remains.

The Smart City initiative arrived like a home makeover show-ambitious, enthusiastic, and determined to 'modernise' Chandigarh. But here's the thing: Chandigarh was already a smart city. Le Corbusier's grid, green spaces, and walkable sectors gave it a head start long before 'smart city' became a buzzword. Instead of building on this, the initiative often felt like adding decor while ignoring structural issues.

When 'smart' wasn't sensible

The idea was to bring tech-driven solutions to urban life. The reality? A series of...