Inclusive and Sustainable Urban Transport

Research in inclusive, sustainable, and climate-focused urban transport is essential for addressing the complex challenges that cities face today. As urban populations grow, transportation demands rise, making it crucial to develop solutions that support social equity, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience. Inclusive urban transport research is key to ensuring equitable access, as marginalised and low-income communities often lack reliable transit options. By understanding and addressing the distinct mobility needs of diverse populations—including women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities—cities can design transport systems that serve everyone. This also extends to integrating gender-sensitive planning and promoting non-motorised options like walking and cycling, which not only improve accessibility but also reduce emissions.

From a climate perspective, urban transport is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing this impact is critical for achieving global climate targets. Research into low-carbon transport options- like electrification of public transit, transit-oriented development, and compact city design—can significantly reduce emissions while enhancing urban livability. In addition, data-driven decision-making adds a final, crucial layer, as cities can use advanced analytics to monitor emissions, identify high-traffic areas, and model climate scenarios to improve transport planning. Together, research on inclusive, sustainable, and climate-conscious transport enables cities to build efficient, resilient systems that align with both social equity and climate goals, directly contributing to urban resilience and sustainability targets such as the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Aligning with these goals, the School of Arts and Sciences conducts impactful research to drive progress in this domain.

Opportunities for Climate Mitigation and Sustainable Development (OPTIMISM)

Opportunities for Climate Mitigation and Sustainable Development (OPTIMISM) is an international multi-stakeholder partnership and research project funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council as part of the research council’s Towards a Sustainable Earth programme. Taking a whole-systems approach, this project addresses the challenge of leveraging rapid and extensive action to mitigate climate change to deliver the Agenda 2030 and a well below 1.5°C world. The project uses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework to analyse (i) how interactions between human development and the environment change with rapid and extensive climate mitigation and (ii) how policy and practice interventions informed by a better understanding of enabling interactions can come together to create transformational change.

The international OPTIMISM project team includes four partner institutions – Imperial College London, Lund University, Waseda University, and Ahmedabad University. Each partner team focuses on a specific sector case study:

UK – Imperial College London (Mitigating land use impacts with dietary change)
SWEDEN – Lund University (Tackling hard to decarbonise industrial sectors)
JAPAN – Waseda University (100% renewable energy networks)
INDIA – Ahmedabad University (Low-Carbon Urban Transport and SDGs, with a focus on urban equity in two case study cities, Surat and Udaipur)

Darshini Mahadevia (Principal Investigator) and Minal Pathak (Co-Principal Investigator) lead the project team placed at Ahmedabad University, India, that is supported and funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India. Chandrima Mukhopadhyay (Senior Research Associate), Saumya Lathia, Kanika Gaunder, Amitkumar Dubey, Bandish Patel, and Saleem Yatoo form the core research team at Ahmedabad University. The project focuses on transport, the third most-emitting sector in India, accounting for about 14% energy-related CO2 emissions. Indian cities, even at low levels of urbanisation, are among the 20 most polluted cities globally. Indian cities have low public transport coverage with two major implications, (i) it promotes dependency on private motorised transport, adding to local pollution and Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions, and (ii) it causes a lack of mobility for the city’s most vulnerable groups (women, elderly, differently-abled, urban poor, etc.) that depend on public transport to access housing, healthcare, basic services, and socioeconomic opportunities. The available public transport is often inconvenient or unaffordable to a large population segment. Thus, SDG-compatible low-carbon options for public transport bring synergies among climate change mitigation and sustainable development. The project is grounded in two Indian cities, an industrial metropolis, Surat, and a tourist city, Udaipur.

A key methodological contribution from the case studies will be a new assessment framework to understand linkages between SDGs and deep decarbonisation scenarios at the city level. The study is the first of its kind in the Indian context, and we expect the project outputs to inform national and city governments on transportation policies and actions. The project outputs include (i) Contribution to methodology development for climate mitigation and SDG interactions, in collaboration with all the international partners, and a paper emerging from it for a peer-reviewed journal; (ii) contribution to meta-theory on climate change mitigation and SDG interactions at the global level through four country findings and a paper emerging from it for the peer-reviewed journal; (iii) results of the study in India contributing to the process of Indian policy-making on the climate mitigation and SDGs together in the urban transport sector, with insights drawn from Surat and Udaipur, again leading to a peer-reviewed journal article; (iv) city-level policy briefs for the use of various stakeholders in each of the two cities; (v) e-stakeholder consultation on project methodology and (vi) two city level stakeholder consultations for each city on low-carbon transport and SDGs, one at the onset of the project and one at the end.

Inclusive Net Zero Transport Plan for Rajkot

The project ‘Inclusive Net-Zero Transport in Cities of Gujarat’ emphasises an inclusive approach for achieving net zero emissions within the transport sector. The project is a collaborative effort between Ahmedabad University, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, and UNEP Climate Centre Copenhagen (UNEP CCC). The project is funded and supported by UNEP CCC. The project objectives include developing a detailed approach and methodology, studying the existing transport scenario, and proposing a scenario-based net zero plan for the case city of Rajkot.

The transport sector is a major contributor (10%) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with road transport alone accounting for 70% of total urban transport emissions. A sustainable and net-zero transport scenario in Indian cities requires a paradigm of enhance-retain-avoid-shift-improve framework; that is, enhance mobility of those not experiencing one now, retain current low trip lengths, avoid motorised trips for all, shift to public transport and non-motorised transport, and improve technology of motorised vehicles. Additionally, net-zero transport needs to interface with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as highlighted in various Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports. The 1.5oC Report and Assessment Report Six of the Working Group III indicates that climate change mitigation efforts must aim to achieve the SDGs. Hence, the former must be assessed for their synergies and conflicts with the latter.

The project approach and methodology aim to achieve net-zero urban transport in Indian cities, in the context of mobility-poverty, through a low-carbon transportation system that improves access for underserved populations. The project outlines three scenarios for 2030, 2040, and 2050: Business as Usual (BAU), a Technology Scenario for Net-Zero Emissions, and an Inclusive Net-Zero Emissions Scenario. The 2050 scenario is expected to link with the ‘Viksit Gujarat 20457’ vision, whereas India’s commitment is to achieve net-zero by 2070. Effective implementation of this plan, require definition of net-zero and net-zero transport within the Indian context, developing pathways for inclusive transport solutions, and creating indicators to track progress.

Project Partners

School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University
Transportation Research and Injury Prevention (TRIP) Centre, IIT Delhi
UNEP Climate Centre Copenhagen

Professor Darshini Mahadevia (Project Lead), Professor Geetam Tiwari (IIT Delhi), Professor Deepty Jain (Project Coordinator, IIT Delhi) and Saumya Lathia form the core project team placed at Ahmedabad University and IIT Delhi, India. UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre supports and funds the project. The project is grounded in the city of Rajkot in Gujarat, and is conducted in coordination with Rajkot Municipal Corporation officials.

DARSHINI MAHADEVIA

Professor, School of Arts and Sciences

Darshini Mahadevia is a well-known scholar whose research focuses on equity concerns within urban policies relating to climate change adaptation, mitigation, and human and general development. She received her doctoral degree in Urban and Regional Development from Jawaharlal Nehru University. Prior to joining Ahmedabad University, she coordinated the Centre for Urban Equity and was the Dean of the Faculty of Planning at CEPT University, Ahmedabad. In particular, Professor Mahadevia’s research has focused on cities and the policies and processes of their development from an equity perspective. She argues for a bi-focal view to assess the impact of the modernist, deterministic, and top-down approach adopted in Urban Planning on the economically, socially, and politically weak segments of society and the city’s ecological resources. She is currently investigating urban data systems in the context of urban development dynamics, their sustainability, and equity. She also is a member of the High-Level Committee on Status of Women, India. Darshini has also been an Editorial Board Member of the International Development Planning Review - Journal of the University of Liverpool, Environment, and Urbanization - Asia, since 2019, and Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography since 2017. She has been an Advisory Board Member for Safetypin and WRI Ross Centre Prize for Cities since 2020. Darshini has over 120 publications as books, book chapters, and journal articles.

CHANDRIMA MUKHOPADHYAY

Chandrima Mukhopadhyay completed her doctorate at the School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape, Newcastle University, UK. She has been part of the AESOP-YA (Association of European Schools of Planning - Young Academic) network from 2011 until 2021. She is currently the coordinator of the Global South and East thematic group of AESOP. Since 2022, she has joined the Regional Studies, Regional Science journal editorial board. Her teaching and research interests include the role of the private sector in infrastructure delivery and urban development, governance, megaprojects, urban transport, and urban finance. She has taught at the Faculty of Planning, CEPT University, India, and received the Outstanding Reviewer award from International Development Planning Review, Liverpool University. She has also been a visiting scholar at the MIT-UTM Malaysia Sustainable Cities Program (2017-2018). She is the Senior Research Associate at the School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, India, for the OPTIMISM project.

SAUMYA LATHIA

Saumya is a Research Associate at the Global Centre for Environment and Energy at Ahmedabad University. Prior to her engagement at the Centre, she worked for the OPTIMISM project at Ahmedabad University for nearly three years. Along with her engagement in key research tasks at OPTIMISM, she served in an administrative, financial, and compliance-reporting capacity. With an ambition to pursue a career in equitable and sustainable development, Saumya has served as an Element Scientist & Contributing Author for The Third Assessment Report on Climate Change and Cities (ARC3.3), a Data & Research Analyst at Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), a Research Associate at Sol Price Center for Social Innovation (CSI) and a Research Assistant at CEPT’s Center for Urban Equity (CUE). Her research interests lie at the urban planning and climate science intersection, especially urban resilience, equity, and informalities challenges. Saumya holds a master’s in Planning from the University of Southern California’s Sol Price School of Public Policy, specialising in Sustainable Development, and a bachelor’s degree in Planning from CEPT, Ahmedabad. She received a prestigious scholarship at USC to study comparative public policy and administration approaches in the European Union and the US. Similarly, at CEPT, she received the UKIERI scholarship to study comparative urban development and planning in the UK and India. Saumya also received the Best Gender Thesis Award in 2017 for her undergrad thesis, Gender and Public Spaces: A Case Study of Sabarmati Riverfront. Saumya is trained in the Indian classical dance form Bharatnatyam and is an avid reader of Indology, Indian mythology, and Philosophy.

KANIKA GOUNDER

Kanika is Programme Associate- Electric Mobility, with the Sustainable Cities and Transport programme at the World Resources Institute (WRI) India. At WRI, she works on sustainable mobility, electric mobility, and last-mile connectivity projects. Her work involves in-depth research writing, data analysis, and mapping. Prior to joining WRI India, Kanika worked as a Research Associate for the OPTIMISM project at Ahmedabad University. During her time at the University, she worked on the comprehensive assessment of the impact of urban transport on SDGs. She contributed to core secondary and primary data analyses, mapping, writing reports and research papers, and developing conference presentations. Preceding this, Kanika worked as an Associate Transport Planner at The Urban Catalysts, leading research projects on gender-responsive urban transportation. In addition, her internship at The Urban Lab enhanced her knowledge of designing streets and junctions. Kanika holds a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning specialising in Transportation Planning and a bachelor’s degree in Planning from CEPT University. Her areas of interest are electric mobility, sustainable development, public transport planning, transportation research, design, and policymaking. Her skills include high-quality mapping, data analysis, and visual communication. Kanika is passionate about music and is trained in Indian classical vocals. In her free time, she enjoys singing and playing the ukulele.

AMITKUMAR DUBEY

Amitkumar Dubey is a doctoral candidate at Ahmedabad University’s Global Centre for Environment and Energy. While Amit’s research interests include sustainable development, climate mitigation, nature- and technology-based solutions, and emission modelling, he is keenly interested in Energy Transitions, Net-Zero Emission Systems, and Carbon Capture and Storage. Before enrolling in the doctoral programme, Amit worked as a Research Associate at the OPTIMISM project. He was involved in critically assessing the data gaps in prepared outputs, systematic literature review and analysis of extreme weather events’ impacts on urban transport, systematic literature review of urban transport’s relationship with SDGs, and comparative analysis of transport planning in India’s 100 Smart Cities. A graduate of CEPT University with a Master of Technology in Environment Engineering, Amit also has over six years of experience as an independent consultant in the Construction Project Management field. For two years, Amit also served as an Assistant Professor for undergraduate courses at the Institute of Architecture, Patan, and PP Savani University, Kosamba. His strengths include project management, communication, and technical skills, aided by curiosity and willingness to learn. He prefers listening to music and engaging with plant and animal life every chance he gets.

BANDISH PATEL

Bandish Patel is a climate change and sustainability enthusiast with close to a decade of experience in managing and implementing projects related to low-carbon urban development, low-carbon mobility, building energy efficiency, clean energy transitions, and SDGs in cities across India. He has an MBA in Energy and Environment from Symbiosis Institute of International Business and works as a Manager, Urban Climate Action, at Janaagraha, where he is primarily involved in the implementation of the Clean Energy Pathways for Low-Income Settlements in India programme. His work involves researching aspects of the cleanliness of energy sources, deepening the understanding of energy choices and usage patterns amongst the low-income settlements in Odisha, climate and policy assessment of Odisha, and developing pathways for adopting clean energy among the urban poor. He was recently associated with the OPTIMISM project at Ahmedabad University, which focused on addressing SDGs through low-carbon transportation in two Indian cities. Previously, he worked as a Project Officer at ICLEI South Asia. He worked on urban climate action planning projects, developing GHG Emissions Inventories, and piloting RE & EE projects at the city level. He has worked with nearly 15 ULBs in India and diverse stakeholders, including local communities, government officials at various levels, academia, and international NGOs and funding agencies. Bandish likes to read books and play badminton, and keeps a keen interest in Ayurveda in his free time.

GINA ACHARYA

Gina is an Urban Planner and an Infrastructure Professional. She holds a degree in Bachelor of Planning and Master of Urban Infrastructure from CEPT University, Ahmedabad. She has 4 years of diverse work experience in urban planning, infrastructure, and climate domain, which included projects and research work. Currently she works as a Research Associate at School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University. Prior to this, she worked at Environmental Management Centre Pvt. Ltd., where her work focused on climate and carbon advisory, which consists of providing support in GHG inventorisation, decarbonisation, and low carbon planning.

She has also worked at ICLEI South Asia, where her focus areas were environmental sustainability, climate vulnerability & risk assessment, clean air, urban cooling, and urban governance. She has also been associated with CEPT Research and Development Foundation, where she worked on projects such as Water4Change, SPMRM (Rurban Mission) ICAP Phase 3, and Comprehensive Mobility Plan of Surat, to name a few. Her postgraduate thesis was a Directed Research Project (DRP) in collaboration with IRC WASH on Assessment of Institutional Arrangements for WASH Systems in Ahmedabad. She also had the opportunity to be part of the Urban 20 Ahmedabad Team, 2023.

Overall, she has experience in stakeholder consultation, government advisory, data collection, strategy plans, project development & implementation, and project financial feasibility. Her professional experience and academic learning has helped her to acquire a skill set for data analysis, graphical representation, technical writing, and GIS-based spatial mapping and analysis. Moving forward in her career, she wishes to work at an intersection of climate resilience, environmental sustainability and urban infrastructure.

JAYESH SOLANKI

Solanki Jayeshkumar is an Urban Planner currently working as a Research Associate at the School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University. He holds a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, and a Bachelor’s in Planning from Nirma University. At Ahmedabad University, his work focuses on sustainable mobility, low-carbon transport planning, and data-driven approaches. Previously, he worked as a Transport Planner at Qryde by HBSS, where he contributed to optimising community transit systems through route planning, fare structuring, and demand assessment.

Earlier in his career, he gained practical experience at EcoUrbs Pvt. Ltd., where he was involved in planning assignments for the Shimla Master Plan and the YEIDA Master Plan. His contributions included land use digitization, 3D urban modeling, research for planning proposals, drafting of master plan reports, and preparing presentations for client and authority meetings. He also worked on the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan project during his undergraduate studies, preparing documentation for peri-urban villages around Ahmedabad. These roles helped him develop a strong foundation in planning tools, technical documentation, and communication.

His academic research reflects his strong interest in transport systems and environmental sustainability. His master’s thesis focused on planning strategies for Ahmedabad’s environmental resilience, while his bachelor’s thesis examined pedestrian safety at major traffic corridors in the city. He is particularly interested in contributing to interdisciplinary projects that address challenges in urban transport, environmental planning, and infrastructure development. With skills in spatial mapping, data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and report preparation, he aims to support planning processes that are inclusive, evidence-based, and future-ready.

ADIL ANWAR

Adil Anwar is an Urban Planner with a keen interest in the integrating climate change adaptation, sustainable transportation, and spatial data analysis in urban planning. He holds a degree in Integrated Bachelor and Master of Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. His academic and field experiences reflect a multidisciplinary approach to urban development, grounded in climate-conscious strategies, mobility planning, and data-driven analysis.

He currently works as a Research Associate at the School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, where he is involved in research on sustainable urban mobility, low-carbon mobility strategies, and climate adaptation. His work focuses on transport emissions assessment, GIS-based spatial analysis, and planning approaches that promote resilient, inclusive cities. His academic thesis evaluated the impact of Smart City Missions on mobility-related Sustainable Development Goals, using Patna as a case study.

In his earlier roles, Adil worked with SEEDS India on climate vulnerability mapping and with AICTE’s Mission Amrit Sarovar on the rejuvenation of heritage water bodies. He has also contributed to spatial and master planning projects with Citiyano De Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and Planning Saga. Moving forward, he aims to work at the intersection of climate resilience, sustainable mobility, and spatial data science to support cities in adapting to environmental challenges.

POOJA SAVE

Pooja is an urban designer passionate about creating inclusive, sustainable cities. She recently completed her master’s degree in Urban Design from CEPT University, where her academic and professional journey focused on addressing urban challenges through innovative, context-sensitive design strategies.

As a Research Intern with the UNEP Net Zero Transport Project at Ahmedabad University, she contributed to data collection, mapping, documentation, and visual presentation of research findings. Her involvement included preparing for site visits, sampling and delineating sites, conducting on-site primary data collection, and undertaking post-visit analysis.

Before her postgraduate studies, Pooja worked as an architect in Mumbai, leading and collaborating on projects across various scales. Her architectural experience equipped her with a strong foundation in design thinking, project management, and stakeholder engagement.

Growing up in a small town near Mumbai, she was captivated by the dynamic yet challenging nature of urban life. Witnessing the complexities of expanding cities firsthand sparked her drive to seek practical, people-centric solutions. Her collaborations with research organisations in Mumbai allowed her to explore urban issues at the grassroots level, focusing on communities, cultural identity, and heritage.

Pooja’s journey has shaped a design approach that combines technical proficiency with a socially conscious lens. With a keen interest in climate-resilient infrastructure and community-oriented planning, she continues to explore urban futures that are both imaginative and responsible.

BHAVYA PATODI

Bhavya is an undergraduate student majoring in Social and Political Sciences with a minor in Environment and Sustainability. He is interested in human migration, ecology, urbanisation, policy and systemic solutions to climate change — scattered yet interconnected domains of research and work. He has previously worked with the Global Centre for Environment and Energy where he looked at the climate vulnerability of construction workers in Ahmedabad city.

His academic projects have critically analysed “green growth” models of various clothing companies, examined urban environmental politics of New Delhi and Ahmedabad, worked on various mapping projects, and explored how Caste shapes various facets of Indian society. His undergraduate thesis is a critical interrogation of the practice and discourse around urban greening and ‘forest’ making in Ahmedabad, with a focus on the Miyawaki method of planting.

Bhavya is curious and always eager to learn more about socio-political structure of India, particularly the intersectional roles that religion, caste, and gender play across different realms of life. Outside academia, he loves to eat, explore diverse cuisines, and is currently obsessed with sushi.

GARIMA

I am an Urban Planner and Architect with over three years of professional experience spanning public, private, and non-profit sectors. My work is rooted in sustainable urban development, with a strong focus on transport planning, climate action, and urban governance.

Currently, I am engaged as a Short-term Expert with GFA Consulting Group, supporting the Sustainable Urban Mobility Action Plan in Surat in collaboration with GIZ. My responsibilities include coordinating with municipal agencies to implement projects related to gender-inclusive mobility, the enhancement of the public bicycle sharing system, digital ticketing pilots, and the development of a Green Mobility Plan. I also support the creation of baseline data for greenhouse gas emissions for Surat’s Climate Dashboard.

Prior to this, I served as a Research Associate at Ahmedabad University, contributing to the UNEP-supported “Inclusive Net Zero Transport” initiative in Rajkot. I was also a Teaching Associate at CEPT University, where I guided postgraduate studios on transit-oriented development and local area planning in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.

My academic background includes a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from Sushant University and a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Gateway College of Architecture and Design. My research explored the financial feasibility of electric buses for public transport in Indore.

With a strong foundation in research, stakeholder coordination, and technical tools such as GIS and transport modelling, I am committed to developing inclusive, efficient, and climate-responsive urban mobility systems.

Outreach & Stakeholder Consultations

Opportunities for Climate Mitigation and Sustainable Development (OPTIMISM)

Experts’ Methodology Workshop (July 7, 2020)

The workshop was organised to discuss OPTIMISM’s methodology and seek experts’ input on the key steps. Specifically, to evolve a better understanding of transport-related mitigation and SDGs linkages in the Global South. International transport and planning experts reflected on:

Project methodology
Conceptual linkages between low-carbon transport intervention and United Nations’ SDGs
Identifying key transport intervention-SDG linkages to be validated at the ground level
Assigning assessment scores for each transport - SDG interaction
Pathways to foster synergies and mitigate trade-offs mitigation
Alternate climate change mitigation scenario for case-study cities

Online Experts’ Survey (June-August 2020)

The online survey captured experts’ opinions on the impact of transport interventions on sustainable outcomes in Indian cities. Experts included renowned members of academia, professionals, government officials, and non-government organisations (NGO) employees. The team provided experts with a list of transport interventions compiled from cities' low-carbon mobility plans to indicate whether the intervention would interact with selected sustainability themes and indicators. The team contacted 45 experts over three rounds of emails, with a 38 percent response rate by email.

Online Consultation with Udaipur’s Municipal Commissioner (September 2020)

The team had an online consultation with the commissioner of UMC to initiate collaboration with his office. In this meeting, we discussed possible agenda items for collaboration, UMC’s expectations from the project, and the fieldwork plan. This consultation began a fruitful collaboration between UMC and OPTIMISM (India) team.

Focus-Group Discussion with Mobility Experts, Non-Profit Organisations, Civil Society Representatives, Municipal Officers, and Community Members (August-September 2020):

Mobility in Rapidly Urbanising Megacities (August 31, 2020)

Experts from various backgrounds discussed transportation trends and needs in rapidly urbanising cities like Surat. Planning and Mobility experts shed light on urban planning’s relationship with transport demand in Surat. Municipal officers discussed transport planning interventions catering to rapid urbanisation and motorisation in their cities. The non-profit organisations and civil society representatives highlighted the challenges of various disadvantaged users like children, older adults, women, and the urban poor.

Mobility in Low-Income Neighbourhoods (September 2, 2020)

In collaboration with the Mahila Housing Trust, 25 women community representatives from Surat’s disadvantaged neighborhoods engaged with the OPTIMISM team on travel patterns and needs of the disadvantaged community members, with a focus on women’s mobility and mobility (neighborhood-level) during extreme weather events like extreme heat and monsoon.

Mobility in Heritage Towns and Cities (September 9, 2020)

Experts from different backgrounds with a working knowledge of mobility in Heritage Towns and Cities engaged with the OPTIMISM team on the unique mobility needs and challenges of Heritage Towns, transport infrastructure provision in the context of Cultural and Built Heritage Preservation, the impact of transport planning on heritage tourism, and innovative transport planning solutions tailored for heritage towns like Udaipur.

Stakeholder Interviews with Udaipur’s Tourists (October 2020)

Udaipur’s tourists are integral to the city’s economy and cultural heritage. To capture their unique travel demand, the team conducted semi-structured interviews with 50 tourists in the city’s prime locations – City Palace, Pichola Lake, Arts & Crafts Market Road, Gangaur Ghats, and Sukhadia Circle. The interviews also captured user satisfaction across several modes of transport in Udaipur, opinions on various policy interventions, and recommendations to enable sustainable mobility in the context of sustainable tourism and heritage preservation.

Consultations with Transport Operators (October-December 2020)

To capture the perspective of transport operators in achieving sustainable mobility, the team conducted semi-structured interviews with about 135 transport operators like auto-rickshaw drivers, E-rickshaw drivers, taxi drivers, city bus and BRT drivers, and mini-bus providers in both cities. The interview aimed to capture transport demand for various modes, operational challenges across various sustainable transport modes, and recommendations to strengthen service provision for sustainable transport modes.

Stakeholder Interviews with Households and Businesses in the Vicinity of Transport Projects (October-December 2020)

To triangulate the findings from the literature, the team conducted semi-structured interviews with 240 households and businesses (shop owners and street vendors) in both cities. The interviews aimed to capture the socio-economic and health impacts of being located close to large-scale transport projects and infrastructure. The interviews also captured their opinions on common transport interventions like road widening, one-way streets, pedestrianisation of historic urban cores, and recommendations for enabling sustainable mobility for all.

Transport User Surveys (October-December 2020)

To capture demand-side trends of all transport users by transport modes, the team conducted a detailed user survey with 1665 individuals in both cities. The survey contained over 75 questions prompting the respondents to reflect on travel patterns, mode choices, user satisfaction, mobility challenges, safety while using transport, affordability of transport, resilience during extreme weather events, impacts of transport projects on their mobility and livelihoods, and recommendations to enable sustainable, low-carbon mobility in their cities.

Survey of Surat’s Low-income and Migrant Households (December 2020)

To ensure representation of Surat’s migrant and low-income households and capture their unique travel demand, the team conducted a detailed survey of 100 households across the city, including areas like Bhestan, Bhatar, Rander, Piplod, Pal, Adajan, Udhana, Navagam, Motived, Dindoli, via random-sampling. The survey aimed to capture socio-economic and demographic details, mode choices and mobility challenges, opinions on intermodal integration, experiences of displacement, and willingness to shift to sustainable ‘motorised’ modes.

Online consultation with Surat Municipal Corporation (June 22, 2021)

The team attended an invite-only workshop organised by Surat Municipal Corporation regarding Surat’s Post-Covid future. The workshop involved a meet-and-greet with various government officials, planners, and experts, followed by presentations on the national overview of resilience in Indian cities, management of the pandemic in Surat, the city’s new Development Plan, and recommendations to create a low-carbon, resilient city.

Climate Change and Cities (October 27, 2021)

The Global Centre for Environment and Energy, in collaboration with the Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN), led by the Earth Institute at Columbia University, the International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), hosted a hybrid workshop on COVID-19, Climate Change, and Cities on October 27, 2021, at Ahmedabad University. The workshop strived to foster conversation between city officials, public health experts, and climate experts on their experience with COVID-19 and how this could influence urban policy, innovation, and financing toward resilient and low-carbon development. Officials, academicians, and planners discussed key strategies and success rates of the various initiatives deployed during the pandemic. Several key insights and best practices emerged from the technical sessions on transport during the pandemic. A total of 66 invited participants were involved in the workshop.

Sustainable Urban Transport - A Way Forward (September 14, 2022)

The School of Arts and Sciences and the Global Centre for Environment and Energy co-hosted a Stakeholder and Policy Workshop on Sustainable Urban Transport – A Way Forward at Ahmedabad University on September 14, 2022, as part of the OPTIMISM project. The workshop’s objectives involved disseminating findings from the OPTIMISM project, discussing the way forward on Climate Mitigation Pathways in Urban Transport, and addressing the SDGs. A dominant theme in Assessment Report Six of the IPCC is that if climate change mitigation and SDGs have to go hand in hand, their synergies and trade-offs must be accounted for in the policies, planning, and implementation of the transport projects. Hence, the workshop brought together government organisations and transport experts to collectively work towards identifying actionable strategies to decarbonise urban transport and foster sustainable mobility in Indian cities. Each technical session began with panellists presenting opening ideas, followed by panel discussions. 18 speakers and 102 attendees participated in the workshop.

Consultations with Rajkot Municipal Corporation officers

The team conducted stakeholder consultations as part of the "Inclusive Net-Zero Transport for a City in Gujarat – A Case of Rajkot City" project. These consultations involved engaging with various officials from the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) and key organizations to gather insights and data relevant to the project's objectives. The discussions focused on topics such as transport planning, urban development, and sustainability initiatives. Throughout the consultations, the team established connections with stakeholders, facilitated knowledge sharing, and laid the groundwork for advancing Rajkot's transport strategies toward achieving net-zero goals.

Inception Workshop: Stakeholder Workshop

The workshop, held on September 6, 2024, under the project Inclusive Net-Zero Transport for a City in Gujarat – A Case of Rajkot City, aimed to gather insights on net-zero urban transport scenarios and indicators and to present initial findings from fieldwork conducted in Rajkot. The event brought together government officials, sector experts, and community representatives, whose diverse perspectives were instrumental in providing constructive feedback to refine the project’s strategy and establish a clear roadmap for inclusive net-zero transport in Rajkot.

The event’s inaugural session presented India’s Net Zero Vision, Gujarat’s climate objectives, Vikasit Gujarat 2047 goals, and net-zero strategies for developing cities. Followed by this, the technical session covered India’s net-zero transport landscape, providing a conceptual overview, policy insights, and preliminary findings on inclusive indicators, methodology, and fieldwork results from Rajkot, highlighting local engagement and data-driven insights. The workshop included a panel discussion on the proposed list of strategies and indicators critical for tracking progress toward a net-zero transport plan. Roundtable discussions addressed two key themes: the pathways for achieving net-zero transport in urban India and the development of indicators tailored to measure net-zero transport progress.

The workshop brought together the collective expertise of various stakeholders to advance Rajkot's sustainable urban transport agenda.

Comprehensive Transport User and Infrastructure Assessment through Multi-Modal Surveys: Rajkot

To comprehensively assess the city’s transport ecosystem, the team undertook three key survey exercises: an Infrastructure Audit Survey, a BRTS User Survey, and Household Surveys.

The Infrastructure Audit Survey focused on evaluating the physical condition, accessibility, safety, and inclusivity of key transport infrastructure, including footpaths, intersections, public transport stations, and cycling facilities.

The BRTS User Survey captured insights from current BRTS commuters regarding their travel behavior, mode choice, satisfaction levels, affordability, safety concerns, accessibility, and perceptions of reliability and convenience.

The Household Surveys gathered in-depth data across income groups to understand overall travel patterns, trip purposes, transport expenses, modal preferences, challenges faced by different user groups—including women, children, elderly, and people with disabilities—as well as feedback on transport resilience, equity, and priority areas for improvement.

Together, these surveys provided a robust understanding of user needs, mobility gaps, and opportunities for enabling inclusive, low-carbon, and sustainable urban transport solutions.

National and International Outreach

Mahadevia, D., Lathia, S., Gounder, K. (2021). Understanding Gendered Mobility in Indian Cities through Low Carbon Urban Transport Systems. Transport Research Board’s Conference on Advancing Transportation Equity (CATE). Washington, DC. September 9-14.
Mahadevia, D. (2021). Future of Mobility through Local Innovation and Transport Solutions. Conference of Parties 26 (COP26); session organised by Department of Transport UK. Glasgow. November 10.
Mahadevia, D., Lathia, S., Gounder, K. (2022). Active Mobility, Exploring Co-Benefits of Active Transportation in a Low-Carbon Future: A Case of Two Indian Cities. Panel on Active Transport. 14th Ecocity World Summit. Rotterdam. February 22-24.
Mahadevia, D. (2022). Climate Change and the SDGs in Urban India: Synergies and Conflicts. International Conference on Tackling Climate Change through Urban Resilience: Role of Institutions and Public Policies in Canada and India. Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati. March 24-25.
Mahadevia, D. (2022). Decarbonising Urban Public Transport. 8th Urban Policy Dialogues (UPD) 2022: Pathways Towards Future-ready Indian Cities. Indian Institute of Human Settlements, Bengaluru. November 29-30.
Mahadevia, D. (2022). Sustainable Urban Areas; Transportation Research & Injury Prevention Centre (TRIP Centre). Dinesh Mohan Memorial Symposium. Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. September 8-9.
Darshini Mahadevia, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. Urban Planning Conundrum & Epitaph; In Seminar Series, “Urban Planning in the Cities of Global South- Problems and Prospect. October 26, 2021.
Darshini Mahadevia, Centre for Urban Science and Engineering (CUSE), IIT Bombay. Urban Planning Conundrum & Epitaph; In Seminar Series, “Urban Planning in the Cities of Global South- Problems and Prospect. November 3, 2021.
Darshini Mahadevia, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad. Urban Planning Conundrum & Epitaph; In Seminar Series, “Urban Planning in the Cities of Global South- Problems and Prospect. January 30, 2023.
Mahadevia, D. (2022). She Rises: A Framework for Caring Cities. Virtual. December 22.
Pathak, M. Sustainable Urbanism: Global Perspectives with Dr Minal Pathak. Global Walkability Correspondents Network. December 2, 2022.
Mahadevia, D., Mukhopadhyay, C. (2021). Rethinking Urban Geography and Planning Through COVID-19. Israel Institute of Technology Haifa. April 20.
Mukhopadhyay, C. (2021). Practice of Smart Cities and Implications for Urban Planning and Design; Smart Cities Workshop. The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). April 11.
Patel, B. (2022). Roundtable on Climate Change and India’s G20 Presidency: Work Required Towards Implementing Goals of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement; Dasra and F20 (Foundation 20), Mumbai, September 13.
Patel, B. (2022). Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation workshop: Developing GHG emissions Inventory, Disaster Resilience Plans, and Climate Actions; NIUA, EU-funded GCoM-Asia, C-Cube, ICLEI South Asia, and AIILSG. Ahmedabad. August 29-30.
Lathia, S., Dubey, A. Urban Planning and Development in Indian Cities. Module 3, Democracy and Justice Program. Undergraduate College, Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad, March 31, 2022.
Gounder, K. (2022) The Inclusive, Impactful, and Innovative (3I) Mobility Initiative for Hyderabad Metro; WRI India and Shell Foundation. Hyderabad, April 21.

Media Outreach

Episode #15: Becoming a post-growth Planner: Obstacles and Challenges to Changing Roles and Practices with Dr. Chandrima Mukhopadhyay. Post-growth Planning with Dr Christian Lamker (University of Groningen, Netherlands).
Season 2, Episode #3, Urban Planning Careers with Saumya Lathia. Rethink Desi’s Reframe Series with Arpita Sharma.
Mahadevia, D., and Mukhopadhyay, C. (2021, April 20). COVID-19 and Public Transport Conundrum in India: Featured in Town Planning Review 92.2. Liverpool University Press Blogs. https://liverpooluniversitypress.blog/2021/04/20/featured-in-town-planning-review-92-2-covid-19-and-public-transport-conundrum-in-india/
Lathia, S. and Deore, P. (2020, August 4). How is the Pandemic Changing Public Spaces? Hidden Cities Blog. https://hiddencitiesworld.wixsite.com/mysite/post/how-is-the-pandemic-changing-public-spaces

Publications

Journal Articles

Mukhopadhyay C, Mahadevia D. (2019). How do NDC and UN’s sustainable development goals introduce new meaning of sustainability within mega transport project appraisals?. Journal of Mega Infrastructure & Sustainable Development, 1(3), pp. 237-254. DOI: 10.1080/24724718.2021.1930946
Mahadevia, D, Mukhopadhyay, C. (2020). Covid-19 and Public Transport Conundrum in India. Town Planning Review. DOI: 10.3828/tpr.2020.78
Mukhopadhyay, C, Pathak, M. (2020). Partnership for electrification of urban passenger transport in India. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. (Partnership for the Goals) Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95963-4_106
Roy J, Some S, Das N, Pathak M. (2021). Demand side climate change mitigation actions and SDGs: literature review with systematic evidence search. Environmental Research Letters, (4), doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/abd81a
Mahadevia, D, Gounder K, Lathia S. (2022). Exploring Co-Benefits of Active Transportation in a Low-Carbon Future: A Case of Two Indian Cities. Ecocity World Summit (Rotterdam, 22nd-24th February). https://ecocitybuilders.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/EWS-21-22-Proceedings.pdf
Mahadevia, D., Mukhopadhyay, C., Lathia, S., Gounder, K. (2023) The Role of Urban Transport in Delivering Sustainable Development Goal 11: Learning from Two Indian Cities. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4330203 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4330203
Mahadevia, D., Pathak, M., Lathia, S., Mukhopadhyay, C., Rawal, S. (none/ unknown). Sustainable and Inclusive Low-Carbon Transport for Surat City, India. (Under review at Transport Research Part D). Available at SSRN: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4367977

Book Chapters

Mahadevia, D., Lathia, S. (2023/2024). Sustainable Urbanisation - Exploring Housing-Transport Linkages for Low-Income Populations in Tier II Metros in India.

Policy Briefs

Reports

Sustainable Urban Transport in Indian Cities: An Experts’ Workshop Report
This report stems from a stakeholder and policy workshop organised to disseminate research findings of the Opportunities for Climate Mitigation and Sustainable Development (OPTIMISM) project and to discuss a way forward for climate mitigation pathways for urban transport in Indian cities.
COVID-19, Climate Change and Cities: Learning From the Pandemic; A Stakeholder Workshop Report
This report stems from a stakeholder workshop aimed at fostering dialogue between city officials, public health experts, and climate experts about their experience of managing COVID-19 and the pandemic's influence on urban policy, innovation, and financing towards resilient and low-carbon development. The report features several Best Practice Case Studies that emerged from the workshop

Conference Presentations

Future of Mobility through Local Innovation and Transport Solutions. Conference of Parties 26 (COP26); session organized by Department of Transport UK. Glasgow. November 10. Presentation Accessible at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8e3MQZFWYc
Understanding Gendered Mobility in Indian Cities through Low Carbon Urban Transport Systems. Transport Research Board’s Conference on Advancing Transportation Equity (CATE). Washington, DC. September 9-14. Presentation Accessible at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HcZ7MXCqzrvFXdffgsRSTCzxklK5D3sr/view?usp=sharing
Active Mobility, Exploring Co-Benefits of Active Transportation in a Low-Carbon Future: A Case of Two Indian Cities. Panel on Active Transport. 14th Ecocity World Summit. Rotterdam. February 22-24. Presentation Accessible at: https://cslide.ctimeetingtech.com/eco21/attendee/person/persons?q=darshini