Prawaas 2019, India’s most definitive conference on passenger mobility was flagged off to a rousing response in presence of host of dignitaries, Industry captains, policy makers, academicians, thought leaders and key stakeholders representing the industry. The second edition of Prawaas is being held from 25th– 27th July 2019 at CIDCO Exhibition Centre, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, with the theme “Safe, Smart and Sustainable Passenger Mobility.”
Organized by Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI), the inaugural event was graced by Shri. Aaditya Uddhav Thackery, President, Yuva Sena, Youth Wing of Shiv Sena, Shri. Diwakar Narayan Raote, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Transport and Khar land Development, Government of Maharashtra, Shri. T. J. Lalnuntluanga, Hon’ble Minister of State for Transport, L&J, Parliamentary Affairs, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of Mizoram, Shri. Anuj Kathuria, Chief Operating Officer, Ashok Leyland Ltd, Shri. Rohit Srivastava, Chief Executive Officer, Tata Motors and Shri. Thomas Fricke, Managing Director, Daimler Buses India and other industry captains and industry-body leaders.
Shri. Aaditya Uddhav Thackery, President, Yuva Sena, Youth Wing of Shiv Sena said, “I am honored to be a part of this exciting event. Transport is one of the most critical aspect of development and no state can go forward unless it has a robust transportation system in place. Maharashtra as a state has taken a number of key initiatives like rationalization of bus fares, has resulted in an exponential rise in commuters taking public transport. I am confident that through a platform like Prawaas, the industry will gear up to create the mobility ecosystem of tomorrow. He further spoke about bringing a change for the next 20 years and that he was at the 2nd edition of Prawaas to take suggestions and look at multi module public transport system which will lead to better last mile connectivity.”
A new logo of YUVA-BOCI was also unveiled by Shri Thakery on the occasion.
Shri. Diwakar Narayan Raote, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Transport and Khar land Development, Government of Maharashtra said, “Prawaas is an excellent initiative and I am happy to be a part of this event. As a part of the government, we have taken a number of initiatives that will ease pain of commuters while make operations profitable for the operators. There is a need for greater cooperation amongst the stakeholders to create a win-win proposition for all.”
This edition of Prawaas will bring all the stakeholders from the Bus and Car operator associations onto a single platform. The event is expected to see the participation of 10000+ Bus Operators, 150+ Leading Exhibitors, 20000+ Business Visitors and 100+ Expert Speakers. The Exhibition spread over 1,50,000 sq. ft. will be a grand showcase of leading Bus & Car Manufacturers, Bus Body Builders, Component and accessories, Maintenance Equipment & Services, IT & Mobility Solutions, Training & Skills, Finance & Insurance, STU’s & Tourism Boards etc.Focus on Electric Mobility will be one of the main attractions of Prawaas 2019.
Shri Jagdish Patankar, Organizing Secretary, Prawaas 2019 co-chaired the Leadership Conclave with the theme, Future of Mobility. A host of eminent speakers participated in discussing futuristic transportation solutions shaping tomorrow’s public transport. Mr. Abhay Damle, Joint Secretary, Transport/RS/Coord/ICMoRTH, Government of India iterated that, safe reliable and sustainable transport is the need of the hour. The entire sector that includes OEMs, Operators, Suppliers, trade bodies and policymakers need to be aligned to meet the needs of the passengers. Mr. Thomas Fricke, Managing Director, Daimler Bus India said, “sharing the road is the next big thing and it will redefine the future of commute. The mobility sector will undergo a major overhaul in the years to come, significantly disrupting the industry and accelerating the shift from owning a vehicle as a product to consuming mobility as a service.”
Present for the inauguration of Prawaas 2019 and launching a new bus, OYSTER, from Ashok Leyland, Mr. Anuj Kathuria, COO, Ashok Leyland, said, “We are proud to partner with Prawaas which focuses on public transport and its future. Ashok Leyland buses have been the leading in this space and today we are excited to launch yet another bus, Oyster, which will be another game changer in the public transport space. The Oyster is our next generation midi-bus, in the premium category. A multi – purpose premium A.C. bus, it is designed specifically for the comfort of tourists and staff, relevant for city-dwellers. It is the best-in-class midi bus with a capacity of 41 passengers and is ideal for travelling for intracity applications.”
Mr. Rohit Srivastava, Vice President and Product Line Head – Passenger Commercial Vehicle, Tata Motors said“Rapidly growing cities have led to an upsurge in the demand for efficient public transportation in all parts of the country, urban as well as rural. The Buses manufactured by Tata Motors have always adhered to this increasing demand while ensuring best in class products to suit the travel requirements of passengers and drivers alike. Our priority is to provide efficient, clean and affordable value propositions to our customers without compromising on safety and the comfort levels of the passengers. The vehicles displayed at Prawaas 2019 is a testimony of our in-depth understanding of the Indian market.”
The panel discussion on Innovative Technology for Transforming Passenger Mobility brought out interesting insights from participants. Mr. Jochen Engert, Founder and CEO, FlixBus called for greater cooperation between government and private operators to provide seamless, safe and sustainable passenger mobility. The conversation ranged from the future of passenger mobility, transformation that individual operators have made in their own areas, the existing challenges and opportunities and ended with each of the CEOs giving away precious advice from their own extensive experience to help others gear up for the future.
The second day of the conference promises to be full of exciting events and invigorating discussions. The highlight of the day will be the coveted BOCI Excellence Awards and a keynote address by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India.
Mr. Prasanna Patwardhan, President, Bus Operators Confederation of India said, “The second edition of Prawaas will be bigger and better. We are elated to have all key stakeholders here to engage on this platform and explore solutions that will shape the transport of tomorrow. Owing to environment concerns, electric vehicles will play a huge role in mass mobility. However, the policy and infrastructure would need to keep up in order to take full advantage of the benefits they provide.”
Mr. K T Rajashekhara, Chairman, Bus Operators Confederation of India said “We are excited to welcome our partners, policymakers, operators and other key stakeholders to Prawaas 2019. Prawaas is the result of BOCI’s efforts to bring together an industry that was largely fragmented earlier. We are confident the 3-day event will result in innovation, policy discussions and further cooperation that will make public transport more viable.”
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