UMI Conference & Expo-2024 Discusses Urban Transport Challenges

The Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendra Patel inaugurated today the 17th Urban Mobility India Conference & Expo-2024 at Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Shri Harsh Sanghavi, The Minister of State for Home and Transport,  Government of Gujarat, Shri Srinivas R Katikithala, Secretary, MoHUA, Government of India; Shri Raj Kumar, Chief Secretary, Gujarat were present on the occasion along with senior officials from Central and State governments, policy makers, Managing Directors of Metro Rail Companies, Chief Executives of transport undertakings, international experts. More than 2000 professionals and academicians are taking part in this conference.

Shri Patel in his address said that India being the 5^th largest economy in the World has progressed tremendously, particularly during the last 10 years. Social, economic and urban sector have provided enough opportunities for sustainable urban transport and making the cities liveable. It has made efforts in improving the infrastructure for making urban transport efficient and effective.

On this occasion, Shri Harsh Sanghavi, Hon’ble Minister of State for Home & Transport elaborated on the efforts being made in urban transport system by following the triple S principal such as Sustainable, Sensitive and Smart.

On the occasion Secretary, MoHUA Shri Srinivas R Katikithala,  said “This flagship event has developed and gained significance in accordance with the National Urban Transport Policy 2006. It is a recognised international level forum for sharing best practices in urban mobility both nationally and globally and to deliberate on challenges involved and the way forward." The Secretary also remarked that the conference will provide opportunities to delegates and urban mobility experts tio come up with recommendations on the various sections to be covered under the overall theme of standardization and optimisation of urban transport solutions.

The 17^th UMI Conference & Exhibition 2024 is being organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs through the Institute of Urban Transport (India) and with the support of Government of Gujarat and Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. from 25^th to 27^th October, 2024.

This year, the theme of Conference is “Standardisation and Optimisation of Urban Transport Solutions”. It will emphasize on harmonising standards for Optimising urban mobility particularly in the Indian context. It will deliberate on the framework for integration of various modes in urban mobility, multilateral and bilateral funding in view of the Make in India policy, importance of big data for transport planning, E-Bus Eco-system in India, benchmarking of cost in Metro system, digital public infrastructure principles in relation to E-Bus transition, innovative financing and other issues and challenges in Urban transport.  It will also dwell on vision for clean air cities, urban freight, urban transport solutions for small and middle towns in India, the need of the hour is to optimise and standardise the urban transport solutions to have efficient and effective system.

The closing ceremony of this conference will be held on October 27,2024 under the chairmanship of Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Shri Manoharlal Khattar and in the presence of Union Minister of State Shri Tokhan Sahoo and Gujarat Transport Minister Shri Harsh Sanghvi. During the closing ceremony, the winners of “Best Practices Project in Urban Transport” will be awarded to state and city authorities in a total of 9 categories.