Centre committed to enhance modern, transport services in cities: Manohar Lal Khattar

Gandhinagar: The three-day "17th Urban Mobility India Conference and Expo-2024" concluded under the chairmanship of Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar on Sunday.

The event was graced by Gujarat's Finance and Energy Minister Kanubhai Desai and Odisha's Urban Minister KC Mahapatra.

In the closing ceremony, the Union Minister remarked that successful urban mobility goes beyond just facilitating travel from one place to another. It aims to enhance the safety and quality of life for every citizen while reducing the carbon footprint to lower pollution, ensuring a safer and better future for the next generations. The Government of India is actively striving to develop modern and secure transport services in cities today. Initiatives like the Smart City Mission and the Atal Mission laid the foundation for integrated urban mobility, while the PM-eBus Service has significantly improved public transportation services.

Regarding the metro service, the Union Minister shared that, as of now, metro networks span 989 kilometres across 23 cities in the country, with an additional 974 kilometres planned for expansion. Across India, approximately 1 crore people benefit from metro services daily, and with its growing network, India's metro system is set to become the second-largest after China. Shri Manohar Lal emphasized that with the increasing urban population, infrastructure support should expand correspondingly. Our cities must be made more adaptable, connected, and resilient.

Khattar congratulated all participants and award winners of the conference. He also announced that the 18th UMI Conference would take place in Gurgaon, Haryana, from October 24 to 26, 2025, and invited everyone to participate

Union Minister of State Tokhan Sahu lauded the success of the conference and remarked that since its inception in 2008, the Urban Mobility India initiative has significantly transformed India's urban and metropolitan regions. Today, an estimated 1 crore of citizens commute daily through the metro network. The metro and e-bus services have become essential for citizens' mobility. (ANI)

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