Chandigarh, June 23 -- More than a year after the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) concluded, a Right to Information (RTI) response shows that Punjab spent Rs.4,485.66 crore on 204 projects across Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Jalandhar. Among the most striking outlays is a Rs.304.22-crore public Wi-Fi network in Amritsar's Walled City, marking it as one of the state's costliest digital infrastructure investments.

The data, obtained from the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) by Sangrur-based advocate and RTI activist Kamal Anand, offers a financial breakdown of the flagship central scheme, which officially ended on March 31, 2025.

Though the timeline has lapsed, records show that local Smart City special purpose vehicles (SPVs) co...