Urban Mobility Lab to be inaugurated in Delhi on June 26

The Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) of Delhi and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) will inaugurate on June 26 the Urban Mobility Lab, a platform that supports Indian cities in identifying, developing and integrating mobility pilot projects.

Speaking about the initiative, Jasmine Shah, Vice Chairperson, DDC, said, "As the innovation think-tank of Delhi government, we are delighted to host the Urban Mobility Lab in Delhi. The Urban Mobility Lab will become a platform for turning our flagship policies, such as Delhi's electric vehicle policy, into projects on the ground."

The Urban Mobility Lab will support the rollout of Delhi's electric vehicle (EV) policy and its mobility goals by developing a number of pilot projects.

Through the Urban Mobility Lab, a Solutions Workshop will take place, a multiday event to work collaboratively across public and private sectors to accelerate innovative mobility solutions that can be implemented in Delhi, according to a statement.

In the upcoming event, RMI will offer global best practices to the Delhi government and a process for identifying, developing, integrating and implementing pilot projects that will support Delhi's stability transition.

Both DDC and RMI are collaborating to make Delhi India's second lighthouse city--a living lab for conceiving, financing and testing mobility solutions that align with the Government of India's vision for a shared, electric and connected mobility future, the statement said.

Further explaining the objectives of the Urban Mobility Lab, Akshima Ghate, Principal, RMI, said, "We are looking to develop pilot projects that address important opportunity areas in Delhi's inability system. Solutions may range from data to electric mobility for both goods and passengers to walking and cycling."

"Such solutions can provide multiple benefits to the city and its citizens, including improved local air quality, greater access and enhanced reliability," Ghate added.

Pune was announced as the first lighthouse city and initial host of the Urban Mobility Lab in June last year. RMI continues to support the ongoing activities of the Urban Mobility Lab in partnership with the Pune Municipal Corporation, the statement said.

The Urban Mobility Lab is led by RMI and was announced by NITI Aayog in November 2017. It is designed to be a replicable process that will be hosted by additional lighthouse cities in the future.

Solutions developed at the Urban Mobility Lab will aim to support broader adoption of shared, clean and connected mobility solutions, which could save India 1 gigaton of carbon dioxide emissions and USD 330 billion in fuel imports by 2030, according to NITI Aayog and RMI's May 2017 report, 'India Leaps Ahead'.

( With inputs from ANI )