The Smart Cities Mission (SCM), launched by the Government of India in 2015, aims to improve urban governance and citizens' quality of life through technology-driven development. This study examines the gap between the policy promises of the Smart Cities Mission and the documented lived realities of citizens across four Indian cities namely Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad. Guided by an interpretivist paradigm, the research adopts a qualitative multiple-case study design using documentary evidence from government policy documents, Smart City Proposals, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, peer-reviewed journal articles, and international institutional publications. Data were analysed using Interpretive Policy Analysis, documentary analysis, and thematic analysis. The study develops and applies the Citizen-Centred Governance Framework (CCGF) to evaluate governance responsiveness, citizen participation, spatial justice, and policy implementation. The findings reveal that although the Smart Cities Mission has strengthened digital infrastructure and urban modernization, these developments have not consistently resulted in inclusive and citizen-centred outcomes. Limited public participation, uneven service delivery, weak institutional coordination, and spatial inequalities continue to influence implementation across the selected cities. The study concludes that successful smart city development depends not only on technology but also on responsive governance, democratic accountability, and meaningful citizen participation. The proposed CCGF offers a practical framework for evaluating and strengthening citizen-centred urban governance in India.

Keywords: Smart Cities Mission, Citizen-Centred Governance, Urban Governance, Policy–Reality Gap, Interpretive Policy Analysis, India.