Tokhan Sahu Opens Urban Development Events in Bhubaneswar

Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu inaugurated the 19th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference in Bhubaneswar on October 23. Organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in collaboration with the Government of Odisha, the conference focuses on urban accessibility and liveability in the digital age. Sahu highlighted the expansion of India's metro network to over 1,185 km and cited Odisha's Ama Bus and Mo Bus services as models for technology-enabled transport.

The UMI Conference, which runs through October 24, includes a technical exhibition with 28 exhibitors and sessions on data governance and regional mobility planning to support the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. The event emphasizes integrating digital technologies to reduce emissions and improve first- and last-mile connectivity.

Following the conference, the second National Urban Conclave will take place on October 24–25. This event focuses on rethinking urban systems and delivery across seven thematic areas, including resource efficiency and the Right to Walk. Planned initiatives for the events include the launch of PM e-Bus Sewa in Odisha and the release of several state urban planning handbooks.