Abstract:

Mumbai Metropolitan Region with a population of 25 million constitutes one of the largest and most congested urban areas in the world with an ever-expanding population and growing motorization. Public policy planners in this scenario must find environmentally friendly and socially responsible transport solutions that can support further development in the MMR. It is with this aim in mind that a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with the Ministry of Railways and Government of Maharashtra was incorporated in July 1999 to upgrade the suburban train infrastructure. My present talk will be on the Mumbai Urban Transport projects (MUTP) which have significantly shaped the urban transport scenario in the city. The purpose of the talk would be to discuss the funding arrangement, urban planning and challenges associated with the Mumbai Urban Transport Projects.

About the Speaker:

Mrs. Anita Sarmah is an Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) officer having qualified in the Civil Services Examination in 1989. She has more than 32 years’ experience in the Railways and Infrastructure Sector. She has been a Fulbright Hubert Humphrey Fellow in Public Policy at the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Governance, University of Syracuse, USA. She has also worked as a Short Term Consultant in the Urban Transport Division, World Bank, Washington DC, USA in 2010. Earlier, Mrs. Sarmah has been a Chevening Gurukul Scholar at the London School of Economics & Political Science, London, UK and also attended Strategic Management Courses at INSEAD, Singapore and Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad. Presently, she is working as Financial Advisor & Chief Accounts Officer, Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) looking after suburban transport infrastructure.