Urbanova25, held at Courtyard by Marriott on February 21st, brought together industry experts and government entities to explore challenges and opportunities in urban development, smart city initiatives, and sustainable infrastructure.

As India continues its journey toward becoming a $5 trillion economy, infrastructure development remains a key pillar of growth. Urbanova25, a premier infrastructure procurement event, addressed critical challenges and opportunities in this domain, emphasising sustainable urban development, smart city initiatives, and innovative procurement strategies.

The one-day event, titled “Latest in Indian Infrastructure Procurement,” brought together industry experts, policymakers, and thought leaders to discuss many elements of infrastructure improvement, such as urban transportation, waste management, and sustainability. The event began with a ceremonial lamp lighting by special guests R. Ramana, Rajender Singh, Dr Sushma Kulkarni, Anil Wankhede, Prasad Nair, and Radha Poptani, laying the groundwork for informative conversations on improving India’s changing infrastructure scene.

The event brought together participants from different industries, including city planners, civil engineers, architects, real estate specialists, CEOs, MDs, and VPs of EPC companies, project developers, road contractors, and government organisations.  URBANOVA25 presented an unparalleled chance for industry professionals to share their expertise and contribute to developing India’s urban infrastructure.

Chief Guest R. Ramana, Director (Planning & Real Estate Dev/NFBR), Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, delivered the keynote address, highlighting India’s infrastructure procurement issues. Addressing challenges such as contractor eligibility and financial capacity, he emphasised how collaborative platforms like Urbanova25 enhance industry-government communication, hence promoting urbanisation and long-term growth.

Special invitees, including Anil Wankhede, Deputy CEO of MHADA, discussed MHADA’s efforts in affordable housing, while Dr Sushma Kulkarni, Vice-Chancellor of NICMAR University, highlighted the significance of procurement in India’s infrastructure development.  Rajender Singh, Founder Member of IUDI – Institute of Urban Designers India, emphasised the significance of transit-orientated development in determining the country’s urban future.

Three intriguing panel discussions were held during the event.  The first was “Smart Cities – Review on Current Smart City Development,” which was moderated by Dr Ravindra Utgikar, Vice President & Business Unit Head, Wilo India. Experts Ashok Punjwani (Dholera SIR Project), Shailesh Pathak (Pureways Infra Pvt Ltd), and Aditya Sharma (PwC) discussed the role of technology, data management, and cybersecurity in urban infrastructure.

Another discussion on “Making Maharashtra Great with Sustainable Urban Development” was chaired by Phani Prasad M, Associate Director, CRISIL, with panellists Sameer Unhale (Urban Maharashtra), Vibhav Joshi (Padeco Co. Ltd), A.H. Khan (Kalpataru Projects), and Rahul Sharma (Tata Projects) sharing insights on transforming Maharashtra into a sustainability model.

The third panel, “Advanced Technology Driving Infrastructure Development,” examined breakthroughs in road and concrete recycling, green building materials, and water reuse technology.  Dr Yogini Deshpande (Renuka Consultants) chaired the panel, which also included KRS Narayan (Reliance Industries), Dr Vishal Thombare (Coastal Road Dept, MCGM), and Prof. Dharamveer Singh (IIT Mumbai).

R.A. Rajeev (IAS Retd, Director, Urban World Consulting) and Ujwal Landge (Partner & CEO, EA Patil & Associates LLP) had a fireside chat about funding and investment strategies for future projects, delving into innovative financing mechanisms such as public-private partnerships (PPPs), green bonds, and infrastructure funds.  

The event also featured impactful presentations addressing infrastructure challenges, featuring speakers like Rajiv Singal (Plaksa Solutions), Pankaj Gonge (BMC), Dr. Ramnath Sonawane (Ex CEO, Nagpur Smart City), Raghunath Patil (Prism Johnson Limited – RMC Division), Kiran Sawant (Pidilite Industries), M. Mahadev (MMRDA), Vaibhav Raje (Treecotech LLP), and Nikesh Pathare (Chetak Minerals).

The event concluded with an invitation to Urbanova26, Mumbai.  The upcoming conference will delve further into the future of India’s infrastructure industry. Interested parties are urged to join in influential talks that will pave the road for the country’s infrastructure development. 

For more information, visit: https://www.urbanovaindia.com/