Singapore's Smart City, and Indonesia's Infrastructure Evolution
The world can learn much about the development of smart cities from Singapore, the country city that was crowned Asia’s top smart city several times including in the Smart City Index 2023.
Share
CATEGORY: RAIL AND TRANSIT
This article, written by author Redaksi, was originally published in Publication Bisnis Indonesia
October 15, 2023
Bisnis, SINGAPORE — The world can learn much about the development of smart cities from Singapore, the city that was crowned Asia’s top smart city several times including in the Smart City Index 2023.
A study by consulting firm Eden Strategy Institute titled ‘Top 50 Smart City Governments Rankings’ even placed Singapore as the world’s best smart city in 2020/2021. Victor Khoo, Director of Survey and Geomatics at the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), talked extensively about how the use of smart infrastructure technology can help his country continue to grow.
“We want to capture images with the highest possible resolution, the best quality obtainable, to provide as many applications as possible. We want this country’s city to be safe, sustainable, and smart. There are many applications that can be used,” he explained during the Year in Infrastructure 2023 and Going Digital Awards event in Singapore on Thursday (12/10).
With an area of approximately 728.6 square kilometers, equivalent to the city of Samarinda, Singapore has become a leading nation in the utilization of technology, especially in urban development.
At the annual Year in Infrastructure Awards conference, Bentley Systems Incorporated highlighted how Singapore fully optimizes the use of infrastructure intelligence, such as digital twins. For example, the Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore’s national water agency, is working on a project funded by the National Research Foundation of Singapore to develop a new system for detecting and localizing anomalies and leaks in the water system in near real-time.
Through technology based on predictive artificial intelligence (AI) models and hydraulic network simulation and calibration, this project helps improve the network’s resilience and water conservation. Additionally, SMRT Trains, a multimodal public transportation operator in Singapore, uses AssetWise Linear Analytics software as the foundation for predictive decision support systems to prioritize maintenance. The digital twin system has allowed SMRT to meet service reliability targets by optimizing maintenance placement.
Furthermore, the Land Transport Authority of Singapore (LTA) fully utilizes digital software for both long-term and short-term planning, including operational traffic models for traffic impact analysis and schemes.
Indonesian Infrastructure
Kaushik Chakraborty, Senior Vice President for Asia-Pacific Regional Executive at Bentley Systems, revealed that several infrastructure projects in Indonesia have also begun to leverage infrastructure intelligence technology. He cited two infrastructure projects related to the Nusantara National Capital (IKN) being carried out by PT Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk. (WSKT) and PT Hutama Karya (Persero).
HK, which is working on the IKN toll road project part 3A, has successfully improved its safety levels through digital technology. WSKT, on the other hand, has used digital technology in the development of IKN toll road part 5A to address bridge compatibility issues.
“Several companies in Indonesia have also started to leverage infrastructure intelligence technology in their projects, such as several private drilling and telecommunications companies. State-owned enterprises (SOEs) have also started to utilize it, such as PLN, Pertamina, and Wijaya Karya,” he told Bisnis.
Furthermore, he believes that there is no unproductive or futile infrastructure development because there is a time gap between infrastructure development planning and completion. This gap can lead to changes in conditions and planning.
Moreover, when the infrastructure is completed, it may not be fully utilized by the community due to various factors. However, over time, the infrastructure will undoubtedly become useful.
The key, he said, lies in good planning, and Indonesia is on the right track in infrastructure development. Among the infrastructure projects in Indonesia, he noted that transportation projects stand out. After this sector, he continued, it is important for Indonesia to prioritize smart infrastructure for the people. (M. Taufikul Basari, Rinaldi Azka)
