Chandigarh’s Smart City Stalls: BEL Pulls Plug on ICCC Services
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has suspended software services to Chandigarh’s Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), impacting crucial city operations. The move follows the Municipal Corporation’s (MC) failure to settle dues exceeding Rs 16 crore.
This prolonged non-payment, spanning 13 months, has crippled the city’s online traffic challan system. Consequently, the smooth flow of traffic management has been severely disrupted.
Furthermore, the ICCC’s CCTV surveillance system is also offline. This means critical security footage is no longer being recorded and stored, raising serious concerns about public safety and investigations.
The MC has acknowledged the problem and stated its intention to resolve the outstanding payment issue. However, the timeline for restoration of services remains unclear.
The incident highlights the critical dependency of smart city initiatives on timely financial management. The disruption underscores the potential consequences of delayed payments on essential public services and raises questions about the long-term sustainability of such projects.
