Need to switch to clean, shared mobility: NITI Aayog
New Delhi, Aug 30 : With India having 14 of the 20 most polluted cities of the world, the NITI Aayog on Thursday said there was a need to change the entire nature of Indian cities by switching to shared, connected and zero emission mobility systems.
The government think tank is planning to hold a series of events as part of the "Mobility Week" from August 31 to September 6, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar told the media here.
A total of 18 events in six days will take place in the run up to "MOVE: The Global Mobility Summit" on September 7 and 8 which will be attended by global and Indian leaders from across the mobility sector, he said.
"By partnering with organisations working in the mobility space across the country and the globe, we'll be better prepared to formulate India's go-forward strategy on mobility. The summit will also enable India to learn from development in other countries", Kumar said.
He said the NITI Aayog held consultations with all states in the run-up to the event and that over 15 states had already shared their plans.
Kumar said that it won't be just a substantive event, but would lead to policy decisions.
"The aim is to showcase that mobility is not an elite activity. It is possible to generate growth and employment through disruptive forms of mobility," he said.
The NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said the summit will have events like workshops, seminars and hackathons, which will showcase the potential of India's young generation and how the country is ready to harness it to move towards a "sustainable future that is shared, connected, and emission free".
The summit will see over 1,200 participants expected from across the world including leaders from the government, industry, research organisations, academia, think tanks and civil society, an official statement said.
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Gurupura: Bus-lorry collide near Bellibettu, drivers critically injured
6 Lakh in cash recovered during rescue operation
Bajpe: A private bus and a lorry collided head-on near Bellibettu bus stand on Wednesday, leaving both drivers seriously injured.
According to sources, the private bus was travelling from Mangaluru to Karkala and a lorry was heading towards Mangaluru.
The impact of the collision was severe, leaving the front portions of both the bus and the lorry completely crushed.
According to locals, the drivers of both vehicles were trapped inside the mangled vehicles and had to be rescued by cutting parts of the damaged vehicles using a gas cutter. Passengers travelling in the bus sustained minor injuries.
The injured drivers were shifted to a private hospital in the city for treatment. Personnel from the Bajpe police station visited the spot, conducted an inspection, and registered a case.
Meanwhile, it has been learnt that during the rescue operation, a local resident, Rafiq Gurupura, found around Rs 6 lakh in cash while cutting open parts of the bus.
The amount was subsequently handed over to the Bajpe police. The rescue operation was carried out by locals including Rafiq, Shivarama, Raoof, Fazil and others.
