Key Highlights

• The Government extended Smart Cities Mission timeline to 31 March 2025 to complete the remaining balance projects (without extra cost). Press Information Bureau
• Official PIB updates report high completion: e.g., 7,380 of 8,075 projects completed with investment figures in late 2024. Press Information Bureau+1
• A 2025 PIB note states that 94% of 8,067 projects had been completed as of May 9, 2025—setting the backdrop for what 2026 becomes: finish, integrate, maintain. Press Information Bureau

So what is Smart Cities Mission in 2026? Not a launch phase. Not a hype phase. It’s the “after-party reality”: O&M, integration into city systems, and clarity on what’s still pending.

What “completed” really means

PIB updates provide project counts and investment snapshots—by December 2024, it cited 7,380 completed projects out of 8,075 with significant investment totals; another MoHUA year-end review gave a similar completion picture and value. Press Information Bureau+1

By mid-2025, PIB’s 10-year note highlighted 94% completion of 8,067 projects. Press Information Bureau

What “pending” looks like in 2026

Because the mission period was extended to March 2025 for balance projects, the practical “pending” bucket in 2026 often includes:

• last-mile civil works that slipped,
• integration tasks (IT systems, command centers, operations),
• O&M contracts and staffing,
• convergence with other schemes and city budgets. Press Information Bureau+1

The real 2026 question: do smart assets stay smart?

The mission created SPVs and project structures, but the everyday challenge is maintenance funding, staff capacity, and service performance over time—especially for tech-heavy projects.

Small questions people search

Is Smart Cities Mission still running in 2026?
The official mission period was extended up to March 2025 for completing the balance projects; 2026 is largely about completion spillover and operational integration. Press Information Bureau+1

How many projects were actually completed?
Government updates have published counts and completion percentages (including the 94% figure as of May 2025 and earlier completion snapshots). Press Information Bureau+1

What should citizens watch now?

• Are services improving (mobility, water, safety) or is it just infrastructure?
• Are assets maintained, or do they decay after ribbon-cutting?
• Are projects publicly trackable and audited via official reporting updates? Press Information Bureau+1

2026 takeaway: The mission delivered scale. The 2026 scoreboard is about durability—whether cities can maintain and operationalize what they built, not just count what they inaugurated.