Natl workshop on ‘Streets and Public Spaces’ concludes

Kunal Kumar joint secretary and director, Smart Cities Mission, emphasised the critical role streets play in shaping a city’s social and economic future. He urged to shift focus from the ‘form’ to the ‘functioning’ of streets, stressing the need to visualise chaos and leverage technology

The third national workshop on ‘Streets and Public Spaces’ held at Ga Di Madgulkar Auditorium in Pimpri-Chinchwad concluded on Saturday. The two-day seminar was jointly organised by the Union Ministry of Housing Affairs and Urban Development in tandem with Smart Cities Mission and Pimpri-Chinchwad Smart City.

Dignitaries during the two-day seminar was jointly organised by the Union Ministry of Housing Affairs and Urban Development in tandem with Smart Cities Mission and Pimpri-Chinchwad Smart City. (HT PHOTO)

Kunal Kumar joint secretary and director, Smart Cities Mission, emphasised the critical role streets play in shaping a city’s social and economic future. He urged to shift focus from the ‘form’ to the ‘functioning’ of streets, stressing the need to visualise chaos, leverage technology, and engage with experts for innovative solutions.

Shekhar Singh, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) commissioner and Pimpri-Chinchwad Smart City CEO, presented the ambitious ‘Harit Setu,’ an integrated approach encompassing street design, activities, and green-blue networks across 10 neighbourhoods of the twin city, marking a commitment to transformation over the next 9 years.

Aswathy Dilip, managing director, ITDP (Institute for Transportation and Development Policy) India, praised the twin towns of Pimpri-Chinchwad as a national example of sustainable transport. She lauded the city’s action-foundation-communication framework, emphasising meticulous project execution, institutional memory retention, and continuous participatory planning.