The Guwahati-based Purvca Foundation hosted the first edition of Purvca Samvad 2025 at the NEDFi Convention Centre on Thursday, bringing together experts and stakeholders to discuss sustainable urban mobility in Northeast India.
The day-long programme, held on 7 November, focused on the theme “Sustainable Urban Mobility: Public Transport, Walking & Cycling,” with discussions centred on creating cleaner, safer and more inclusive transport systems in line with India’s sustainable development goals.
The programme began with a ceremonial lamp lighting and floral tributes to singer Zubeen Garg, flautist Dipak Sarma and radio artist Syed Sadulla. In his opening remarks, Purvca Foundation Co-Founder and Managing Director Arshel Akhter said the event aimed to create space for diverse voices in transforming cities into more people-centred and climate-resilient spaces.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr Akhilesh Kumar Maurya of the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, who outlined a roadmap for sustainable mobility amid rapid urbanisation and rising congestion and pollution.
Speakers included Assam Pollution Control Board Chairperson Dr Arup Kumar Misra, Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority official Dimbeswar Talukdar, BYCS India Foundation representative Dr Bhairavi Joshi, The Urban Lab Foundation’s Abhijit Lokre and Rizwan Uz Zaman from the Assam Climate Change Management Society. The panel discussions featured experts from institutions including IIT Guwahati, Cotton University, Metropolitan Transport Association and the Assam Town and Country Planning Directorate. Independent journalist Barasha Das also addressed the audience.
Guwahati Municipal Corporation Ward councillors Ratna Singh and Ashish Bharali shared updates on government initiatives in their respective wards.
A key feature of the event was the launch of Purvca Foundation’s report, titled “Women On Board: Perceptions, Barriers, and Opportunities for Inclusive Mobility in Guwahati.” The study, conducted under the EcoMoveNE programme with support from the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, surveyed nearly 600 women across 60 municipal wards to understand their experiences in the city’s public bus network.
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The event was supported by organisations including Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, Numaligarh Refinery Limited, Assam Climate Change Management Society, BYCS India, Transitions Research and The Urban Lab Foundation.
The programme concluded with a call for collective action to improve Guwahati’s mobility systems and position the city as a model for inclusive and climate-resilient urban transport in the Northeast.
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