JournalCOVID Diaries is a collection of opinion articles from members of the Smart Cities Mission national team as they navigate changes in their daily life and work routines during the Covid 19 lockdown period. The lockdown has been a time of challenges ranging from a sliding global economy, stalled projects and working from home. It has also been a time for productive anxiety, and being resourceful. This period has made us more aware of the fragility of our systems, our infrastructure and our lives. Overall, it has made us halt and contemplate on various aspects of urban life. This collection is an account of such contemplations as experienced by the members of the Smart Cities Mission national team. Writing for COVID Diaries, which straddles the line between professional priorities and personal ones, has given structure to the chaos of our current existence as much as an opportunity to our future selves to turn back the pages of time in the future and smile.