Prawaas 2019 makes a strong pitch for e-mobility

Prawaas 2019, one of the most definitive conferences on passenger mobility in India, opened to a rousing response in Mumbai in the presence of a host of dignitaries, industry captains, policymakers, academicians, thought leaders and key stakeholders representing the industry. The second edition of Prawaas is being held from July 25027 at CIDCO Exhibition Centre, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, on the overarching theme of ‘Safe, Smart and Sustainable Passenger Mobility’.

Organised by Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI), the inaugural event saw the presence of Aaditya Uddhav Thackeray, president, Yuva Sena, Youth Wing of Shiv Sena; Diwakar Narayan Raote, minister, Ministry of Transport and Khar land development, Government of Maharashtra; T. J. Lalnuntluanga, minister of state for transport, L&J, Parliamentary Affairs, Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of Mizoram; Anuj Kathuria, chief operating officer, Ashok Leyland; Rohit Srivastava, vice- president and product line head - passenger commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors, and Thomas Fricke, managing director, Daimler Buses India along with other captains of industry and industry stakeholders.

The traditional lamp-lighting ceremony to open Prawaas 2019.

Aaditya Uddhav Thackeray, president, Yuva Sena, Youth Wing of Shiv Sena said, “I am honoured to be a part of this exciting event. Transport is one of the most critical aspects 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 rationalisation of bus fares, which 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."

Thackeray further spoke about bringing a change for the next 20 years and that he was at the second edition of Prawaas to take suggestions and look at a multi-module public transport system which will lead to better last-mile connectivity. The youth leader conveyed his support for 100 percent electric mobility in the public transport system.

He even called upon the minister and the dignitaries present and the delegates at Prawaas to formulate new ideas that would further boost sustainability in India's transportation system. He said solar panels across highways would augment the cause of electric mobility in the country.

A new logo of 'YUVA-BOCI' was also unveiled at Prawaas India.

Diwakar Narayan Raote, 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 the pain of commuters while making 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 brought all the stakeholders from the Bus and Car Operator Associations onto a single platform. The event is expected to see the participation of over 10,000 bus operators, 150 leading exhibitors, 20,000 business visitors and 100 expert speakers.

The exhibition, spread over 150,000 square feet, showcases products from leading bus and car manufacturers, bus body builders, component and accessory makers, maintenance equipment and services, IT and mobility solutions, training and skills, finance & insurance, STUs and tourism boards and others. The focus on electric mobility is the main attraction of Prawaas 2019.

Aaditya Uddhav Thackery, president, Yuva Sena, youth wing of Shiv Sena, and Diwakar Narayan Raote, minister, Ministry of Transport and Khar land development, Government of Maharashtra, inaugurate the exhibition on the first day of Prawaas 2019.

Jagdish Patankar, organising secretary, Prawaas 2019, co-chaired the Leadership Conclave with the theme, Future of Mobility.  A host of eminent speakers discussed futuristic transportation solutions that could help tomorrow’s public transport.

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.

Thomas Fricke, managing director, Daimler Buses 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,  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 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 AC 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.”

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. 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, a 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 saw BOCI Excellence Awards function and a keynote address by Nitin Gadkari, minister for road transport, highways and shipping, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India.

Prasanna Patwardhan, president, Bus Operators Confederation of India said, “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.”

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.”

Also read: Mahindra unveils BS-VI ready Cruzio ICV bus

Ashok Leyland launches new-generation Oyster midi-bus

Also watch:Prawaas 2019