New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS): 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 on Monday 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.

The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Col. Naveen Gopal, COO (FITT, IIT Delhi), Prof. Nomesh Bolia, Prof. Sanjeev Deshmukh, Deepak Gautam, Pratik Badgujar and officials from NICDC.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajat Kumar Saini, CEO and MD of NICDC, said: "By leveraging advanced technologies and research expertise, we aim to identify locations conducive to industrial development, in order to attract investments, promote local commerce and generate employment opportunities."