Indian Cities Respond to COVID-19 with Top-Line Intelligence and Communications Strategies
Date
April 15, 2020
In Bhubaneswar, India, IBI Group is supporting the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing effective strategies for information sharing. Since the development of IBI’s Bhubaneswar Smart City Strategy and Implementation in 2015, we have provided operational and technical support to the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) through the Bhubaneswar Urban Knowledge Centre (BUKC) and the Intelligent City Operations and Management Centre (ICOMC). Our initial Smart City Strategy proposal emphasized the comprehensive development of the city vis-à-vis a number of key levers, and we have since established a Programme Management unit with more than 30 staff through the BUKC and ICOMC. Additionally, the ICOMC oversees multiple city subsystems, including Traffic Management and Emergency Response & City Incident Management, providing another essential resource in times of crisis.
Our operational teams have been working closely with Bhubaneswar civic authorities and businesses to formulate and execute an effective crisis management strategy. Relying on our well-established Intelligence infrastructure, we have acted as vigilant conduits of the most pressing information, working to assess, process, and circulate important COVID-19 updates to citizens in a timely manner. In partnership with the BMC, we have been leading the city’s communications and outreach programmes, with a specific focus on supporting the local police force, health officials, and other city agencies to prepare and disseminate relevant information to the public. Our team has also produced press and social media releases designed to connect citizens with the goods and services they need most.
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation is working to ensure that essential services remain operational and accessible. We’ve supported this effort by establishing relevant standard operating procedures for various key services, as well as by conceiving innovative means for providing these services to the public. To do this, we’re utilizing BhubaneswarOne, a geo-spatial platform that enables operators to track essential supply services in the region for the most effective coordinated efforts. We’re also supplying the BMC with critical technical support by producing essential reports and ensuring reliable phone lines and resources are in place.
In Hyderabad, India, IBI Group is working with the local police force to produce reliable and relevant intelligence related to the pandemic. With our Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) well established and fully operational from the city’s central command and control centre, we have been swift to populate local Variable Message Boards (VMS) with pertinent information for road users, including up-to-the-minute advisories and awareness messages. We are also supporting police in their efforts to monitor traffic across the city using traffic sensors connected to our ITMS, and continue to provide analysis and recommendations based on local traffic activity.
