ChannelWorld

Cisco Signs MoU with Government of Karnataka for Intelligent Urbanization

Cisco announced a pilot program to assist the government of Karnataka in developing a road map for an intelligent and sustainable Bengaluru city.

The announcement was made at the Cisco campus in Bengaluru, after a meeting between B.S. Yeddyurappa, the chief minister of Karnataka; John Chambers, Cisco chairman and CEO; and Wim Elfrink, Chief Globalisation Officer and EVP, Cisco Services.

As part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Cisco will work with the Karnataka government to share relevant experiences and best practices from its work in other parts of the world, including conducting workshops, requirement studies and architectural designs for the pilot project.

Speaking on the occasion, Yeddyurappa said, “Public safety and security, health care, and energy being our primary focus, we are looking to work closely with Cisco, in developing a world-class urban infrastructure for the citizens of Karnataka. We are delighted to collaborate with a world technology leader like Cisco in this important initiative.”

Elfrink said: “The vision of the Karnataka government for Bengaluru is exemplary. Cities which run on information will transform the quality of life for citizens, drive economic growth, and improve city services and management. Particularly in these difficult economic times, cities which use the network to accelerate and multiply their infrastructure investments will be those which not only survive challenges but thrive and lead into the future. The signing of this MoU and the presence of our Globalisation Centre East in this city gives us the opportunity to work closely with the authorities and apply our knowledge and experience to play a role in Bengaluru city's transformation.”

As part of the pilot program, Cisco will work with Karnataka State Road Transport Corp. and the Karnataka police to improve public safety and security around one of the major bus terminals in Bengaluru. The project will help enable public safety and security at strategic points within the terminal, offering remote monitoring capabilities with real time information.

In addition to public safety and security, technology solutions were displayed at the Intelligent Urbanisation showcase around what the concepts would mean in the areas of transportation, health care, energy, buildings and connected real estate.