The much awaited ‘2nd Elets National Railway & Transport Innovation Summit‘ took place on 30th November 2023 in Kochi, Kerala. The theme for this year’s summit was “Sustainable Mobility Solutions for a Greener Future,” emphasising the urgent need for innovative approaches in transport sector.
Kochi Metro Rail Limited served as the ‘Host Partner,’ and the Division of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, CUSAT, and eGov magazine acted as the ‘Knowledge Partner.’ The summit featured an Expo showcasing the latest technological solutions in railways and transportation, along with an Awards ceremony honoring visionaries and industry leaders.
Loknath Behera, Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Limited, chaired the summit, guiding discussions and initiatives. A key highlight was the launch of a special eGov magazine dedicated to recent ICT-based innovations in the railway sector.
Delivering his special address, Shri Loknath Behera, Managing Director, Kochi Metro Rail Limited said, “Kochi is endowed with all the natural beauty any state should have. No other state or country is as beautiful as Kochi. Within its radius of 20 Kilometers, it has got sea, backwaters, rivers and hills. Twenty seven percent of its area is water. It has 47 canals. As a result, It has had a very vibrant water transport system historically.”
The imperative for sustainable transportation is paramount as contemporary mobility practices have significant adverse environmental effects, necessitating our commitment to safeguarding the well-being of future generations, he added. He also said that organising and Participating in conferences of this nature was both relevant and essential, and we should aim to extract valuable insights and takeaways from them.
The summit included engaging panel discussions which covered topics such as Advancements in Metro Rail Systems, Digital Transformation in Railways, Transitioning Public Transport Networks, Railway Infrastructure Development, and Innovative Project Financing for Transport Projects.
Esteemed partners included Andhra Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited, Research Design and Standards Organisation, Rail Land Development Authority, National Capital Region Transport Corporation Limited, Open Network for Digital Commerce, KRail, and Kerala State Road Transport Corporation.
Dr. Ravi Gupta, CEO, Elets Technomedia and Editor-in-Chief of eGov magazine emphasised Elets’ mission to promote awareness of technological advancements and their impact on society.
Reflecting on the success of the 1st edition, the 2nd Elets National Railway & Transport Innovation summit aimed to bring together industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers to drive progress towards a greener and more sustainable future in transportation.