India’s 19th Urban Mobility India Conference and Exhibition has closed in Bhubaneswar after two days of discussions on public transport, accessible streets and the use of digital tools in city planning. The event, held on 23 and 24 October, brought together around 1,500 delegates and experts from India and overseas, alongside 28 exhibitors presenting urban-transport technologies and services.
The conference was organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs through the Institute of Urban Transport (India), with support from the Government of Odisha. Its stated theme, Urban Accessibility and Liveability in Digital Age, set the frame for sessions on how cities can connect land use, transport networks and the everyday journeys of residents.
Planning, access and data
At the closing session, the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Power, Manohar Lal, set out three principles for future urban mobility: integration, inclusiveness and intelligence. In practical terms, integration concerns links between urban rail systems, buses, rail and other services, including the first and last stages of a journey. Inclusiveness concerns safe and convenient travel for women, older people, disabled people and other users. Intelligence refers to the application of artificial intelligence and real-time data to traffic management, passenger safety and the efficiency of public transport.
The distinction between these principles matters because transport infrastructure does not operate separately from the way cities grow. A railway or urban rail line can offer high capacity, but access to stations, the quality of interchange and the safety of the surrounding street can shape whether it works for a wide range of passengers. The conference programme therefore considered mobility as part of urban planning rather than only as a question of vehicles and routes.
Fourteen sessions took place over the two days. They examined transit-oriented development beyond city limits, including land use and peri-urban corridors; people-centred streets for walking and cycling; public communication intended to encourage a shift towards sustainable travel; and data-led approaches to safer mobility. A plenary session also considered rail-led integrated urban development. A research symposium included 46 selected papers, made up of 20 oral presentations and 26 poster presentations.
The minister also referred to recent national transport figures during the closing session. Nine urban rail projects covering about 174 kilometres have been approved since December 2025, at a stated cost of more than ₹59,000 crore. An additional 102 kilometres of urban rail network have entered operation in that period, taking the operational network to 1,185 kilometres across 26 cities. Under the PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme, 1,100 electric buses are operating in 28 cities and carrying an average of about 250,000 passengers a day.
Awards at the close
The final session included awards for urban-transport practice. Bhubaneswar’s Comprehensive Region Urban Transport system received the award for the best green transport initiative. Chennai’s Greater Chennai Corporation was recognised for a non-motorised transport system, while Delhi Transport Corporation and Delhi’s rapid-transit operator received recognition for innovation and smart-mobility solutions. Delhi Transport Corporation was also recognised for the best public transport system and for the use of big-data analytics in operations and evidence-based planning.
Further awards went to Kochi’s rapid-transit operator for a urban rail station with multimodal integration, and to Chennai’s rapid-transit operator and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation for passenger services and satisfaction. Noida’s rapid-transit operator received a special award for optimising civil structural design. Commendations were also given across green transport, non-motorised travel, smart mobility, financing, multimodal integration, data analytics and urban-transport reform.
The exhibition brought public bodies, urban rail operators and private organisations into the same programme, while the awards highlighted city and agency initiatives rather than a single national scheme. The conference has now concluded, leaving its discussions on connected networks, walkable streets, inclusive access and evidence-based planning as the central themes for transport authorities and cities to take forward.
