BEST CLUSTER UNVEILS INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR MEGA-REGIONAL MOBILITY AT IIIT-BANGALORE

Bengaluru(16/02/2024): At the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore, visionaries and experts gathered to address one of Bengaluru's most pressing challenges – mobility.

Hosted by the Bengaluru Science and Technology (Best) Cluster, in collaboration with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, this brainstorming session was aimed at creating a new era of collaboration and innovation in the region. The event, titled "Mega-regional Mobility around Bengaluru: A Vision for Sustainable Growth," brought together stakeholders from academia, government, and industry to envision a transformative solution to Bengaluru's traffic woes and mobility crises.

Led by key coordinators Prof Abdul Pinjari from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, and Prof Srinath Srinivasa, Dean (R&D) Web Science Lab, IIIT-Bangalore, the session explored concepts of megaregions and their potential to decongest urban centres while driving economic growth. Prof Srinath Srinivasa, co-coordinator of the event, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing Bengaluru's mobility challenges, stating, "To address Bangalore's mobility needs in a sustainable fashion, we need to look beyond Bangalore itself.

Traffic woes and mobility crises in Bengaluru are a daily affair.

Despite several initiatives, Bengaluru continues to crawl and till recently, had the dubious distinction of being the second slowest city in the world.

There is a dire need to develop a megaregion around Bengaluru with a network of multiple growth centres to bring about long-term sustainable solutions." Ravi Tennetty, Head, Best Cluster, said, "It is time to come together - as visionaries, policy makers, theorists and practitioners - to accept that our Bengaluru needs immediate and serious attention to mobility planning that is practical, sustainable and future-proof." Among the participants of this vision group was M N Anucheth, IPS, Bangalore Traffic Commissioner, who offered several insightful ideas on decongesting entry and exit points into the city. The vision meeting debated on several possible candidates for a megaregion with key growth centers and rapid transport options, including Regional Rapid Transport Systems (RRTS), suburban trains, high-speed buses, and freight corridors.

By integrating multiple regional airports and fostering the development of new townships, the vision of a megaregion seeks to distribute economic growth and alleviate the strain on Bengaluru's infrastructure. In addition to addressing mobility issues, the event showcased the Best Cluster's commitment to fostering innovation through collaborative projects.

Projects such as "One Health Bengaluru city model," "Digital Health," "Precision Agriculture for Protected Farming," and "Bengaluru Quantum Technology Initiative" Reinforced the cluster's dedication to leveraging science and technology for societal benefit. Moving forward, stakeholders are encouraged to join the vision committee and contribute to the detailed roadmap for designing the megaregion.

By fostering a spirit of collaboration and innovation, the Best Cluster aims to catalyze interactions between science and society, ultimately driving long-term competitive advantage for the nation.