Mayors, councilors to discuss pollution, parking solution

Around 1,000 mayors and municipal councilors from India and abroad will gather in Gandhinagar, in Gujarat, to discuss ways to make roads pedestrian friendly and find smart parking solutions to tackle pollution and congestion in urban areas.
The mayors and councilors will deliberate on the issues in two exclusive sessions of the four-day long 'Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo' beginning tomorrow.
Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the conference in which 2,500 delegates from India and abroad will deliberate on various aspects of "Planning Mobility for City's Sustainability".
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel will also attend the inaugural session.

After eight conferences held in Delhi since 2008, it is being held outside national capital for the first time in Gandhinagar with Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan as the focus states, an official release said.
"In the context of rising concerns over atmospheric pollution and congestion in urban areas, about 1,000 mayors and municipal councilors will discuss making roads pedestrian friendly and smart parking solutions," it added.

Aimed at enhancing the knowledge of state and city governments on various aspects of low carbon climate friendly urban transport, the other issues to be discussed include, Improving city bus service, financing metro systems, multi- modal transport solutions, intelligent transport systems(ITS), road safety, smart urban mobility planning and ensuring access for common man to urban transport, among others.

Chang Woom Lee, President, Korea Transport Institute will deliver the keynote address.
Minister of State for Urban Development and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Rao Inderjit Singh will present Awards for Excellence in Urban Transport and Urban Mobility on the last day of conference.