National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited (NICDC) and the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (FITT-IITD) signed an MoU with the objective to evaluate optimality of locations for development of greenfield industrial smart cities in India leveraging the principles and framework of PM GatiShakti, according to a Commerce and Industry Ministry statement.

The initiative aligns with India's vision to emerge as a global manufacturing hub, emphasizing the importance of data-driven, decision-making in sustainable futuristic urban planning and development.

Under the MOU, FITT-IITD will leverage its technological prowess and research capabilities to analyse various factors influencing location optimality, including ease of business, living costs, logistics costs, multi-modal connectivity, ease of living index, living costs, potential of particular industry(s), raw-material availability and sustainability.

The comprehensive report produced as a result of this collaboration will serve as a guiding framework for future urban planning decisions, facilitating the development of greenfield cities tailored to meet the evolving needs of industry and society, the statement said.