🔊 Take a moment and listen

The 5th Elets National Urban Innovation Summit, organised in partnership with the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, was successfully held. The event, chaired by Dr. Narhari Banger, Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, saw a gathering of urban leaders, innovators, and stakeholders focused on building smart, affordable, and sustainable cities for the future. DLF supported the summit as the Presenting Partner, Zomato was present as the Sustainability Partner, the Industry Partners were Neuton and Fenesta, the PSU Partner was NTPC, and the Supporting Partner was Whiteland Developer.

Dr. Ravi Gupta, Founder and CEO of Elets Technomedia Pvt. Ltd. & Editor-in-Chief of Elets eGov Magazine, highlighted the summit’s significance in the context of rapid urbanisation in India, stating, “Our Urban Innovation Summit aims to create a platform for discussion, deliberation, and sharing of best practices to make our cities livable, sustainable, and future-ready.”

Further, Dr. Narhari Banger emphasised Gurugram’s transformative journey, noting its evolution since 1983, when Maruti established its manufacturing plant. He detailed the city’s rapid growth and challenges, such as traffic regulation, waste management, and residential issues, and also proudly mentioned Gurugram’s pioneering SWEEP (Solid Waste Environment Exigency Program).

Sharing the international perspective, Hans-Joerg Hoertnagl, Trade Commissioner and Commercial Counsellor, Embassy of Austria, shared insights on Austria’s advanced environmental technology ecosystem and its successful implementation in India. He stated, “Our company, Efkon, headquartered in Gurugram, is a leader in traffic management.”

Virender Vij, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Gurugram, highlighted, “In Gurugram, we have a traffic personnel strength of 1,100, whereas in some cities, the total police personnel in a district ranges from 600 to 700. This highlights Gurugram’s commitment to efficient traffic management, aiming to keep the city moving smoothly and aiding residents in their daily commutes.”

In an insightful presentation, Namita Mehrotra, Director (Finance) of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation Ltd. (NCRTC), outlined the features of the ambitious Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project. “The RRTS will feature semi-high-speed trains with a design speed of 180 km/hr and an operating speed of 100 km/hr, three times faster than the Delhi Metro. Trains will run every 10 to 15 minutes on inter-operable corridors”, she stated.

The summit also included presentations from industry leaders, such as Abhishek Dwivedi, Business Head – EV, Zomato & Avijit Srivastava, Sr. Manager – Road Safety, Zomato. They elaborated on Zomato’s commitment to transitioning to electric vehicles by 2030 and the collaborative efforts with various stakeholders to achieve this goal. Also, in his presentation, Avijit Srivastava shared about Zomato’s collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to propose legislation that includes low-speed electric vehicles in traffic regulations, aiming to enhance safety standards and establish a comprehensive legal framework for delivery vehicles.

Anuradha Kshatriya, General Manager, Investment Promotion, Invest UP, engaged the audience with his presentation. He discussed how the Government of UP aims to achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2027 and outlined the importance of PPPs in this journey.

The summit featured several thought-provoking panel discussions on critical topics like ‘Creating Smart and Sustainable Cities’ where Subhash Yadav, Additional CEO, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), discussed how Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have safeguarded green and blue infrastructure in Gurugram. Another panel, while discussing the topic, ‘Smart Infrastructure and Connectivity’, focused on energy efficiency and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies to build future-ready cities.

Another panel discussed the ‘Future of Mobility,’ during which Rajesh Malik, ED/Infra (BD &CC), Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (HRIDC), explained the initiative and aim of HRIDC. Sekh Samim, Deputy Chief Architect, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), and Dr. Arun Manhas, Director of Industries and Commerce, UT of Jammu & Kashmir, highlighted the challenges faced by their respective departments in the field of mobility.

The 5th Elets National Urban Innovation Summit concluded with a commitment to fostering innovation, sustainability, and smart urban development practices. The summit successfully facilitated the exchange of ideas, best practices, and solutions, paving the way for a more sustainable and efficient urban future.

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