Integral discussions on requirement of creating Smart Cities and implementing strategies of metro projects kicked off in the one-day workshop, organized by inaugurated by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) at April 11. Organized under the aegis of the National Mass Transit Training and Research Institute (NaMTTRI) and in collaboration with the US Department of Transport (DoT), various representatives from Ministry of Urban Development (GoI), several Metro Rail Corporations, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), CIDCO, BEST, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, MSRDC came to discuss the requirement of Smart Cities and the accruing benefits in the wake of the advancing technology and ever growing internet world.

Eighth season of the workshop was inaugurated by Anthony Foxx, Secretary, DoT. It’s a part of the Memorandum of Co-operation (MoC) signed between Federal Transit Authority (FTA), USA and the Government of Maharashtra. The MoC envisages FTA and GoM to work jointly towards development in the field of Public Transportation. It has also been mutually agreed to participate and undertake various activities for development of Public Transport in India.

“The upcoming newer modes of transport such as Metro, LRT, Mono Rail demand more knowledge and expertise in the planning, implementation and operations. In order to effectively and economically implement such capital-intensive projects, it is necessary to understand through appraisal and evaluation of such projects, factors contributing to time and cost over runs, to arrive at the right implementation strategies. The workshop dealt with all such issues”, said Mr.UPS Madan, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, who delivered the key-note address.

Talking on the occasion, Anthony Foxx, Secretary, DoT, Foxx said, "The future is a choice and I think the efforts of the MMRDA will prove to be a choice in the right direction for both the city of Mumbai and the state of Maharashtra. I believe your work will help to advance and realize the important bilateral commitments made by The US President Barak Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for our two countries."
 
The curriculum of the workshop during the last seven occasions had included topics such as Public Transport Security, Safety and Emergency, Disaster Management, Noise Pollution and Abatement Measures for Urban Transportation, Integrated Ticketing Seamless Travel Across the Modes and Intelligent Transportation System.