New Delhi: At the 17th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference and Exhibition in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Bhubaneswar received the accolade of ‘City with the Best Public Transport System’ for 2024, while Srinagar was recognised as the ‘City with the Best Non-Motorised Transport System.’ The conference, organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs with support from the Institute of Urban Transport (India) and the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation, focused on advancing sustainable urban mobility solutions in India.

Speaking at the event, Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Power, Manohar Lal, highlighted India’s rapid expansion in urban transport, noting that the country now ranks third globally in terms of its operational rail network and will soon host the second-largest metro network. He also emphasised how the Prime Minister’s One Nation One Card initiative, the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), is being adopted nationwide and aims to transform urban mobility by allowing seamless travel across multiple modes of transport.

The UMI conference awarded cities across 12 categories, recognising excellence in various aspects of urban transport. Kochi was awarded ‘City with the Most Sustainable Transport System,’ while Gandhinagar received the award for ‘Best Safety and Security System & Record,’ and Surat was recognised for its Intelligent Transport System (ITS). Other winners included Bengaluru, which was acknowledged for public involvement and multimodal metro integration, and Mumbai, which was commended for passenger satisfaction in metro services.

The three-day conference attracted over 2,200 delegates, including 50 international participants, and featured 76 exhibitors from both Indian and foreign companies, with representation from countries such as Germany, France, and Spain. This year’s theme, “Standardisation and Optimisation of Urban Transport Solutions,” focused on harmonising urban mobility standards and emphasised the integration of multiple transport modes. The conference sessions covered a range of topics, including innovative financing, big data for transport planning, the E-Bus ecosystem, urban freight, and air quality improvement initiatives for cities across India.

Additionally, Manohar Lal announced that Gurugram, Haryana, will host the 18th edition of the UMI Conference in 2025. The UMI continues to serve as a vital platform for industry stakeholders, government officials, and experts to collaborate on shaping the future of urban mobility in India.

BI Bureau