Guwahati: Guwahati-based Purvca Foundation hosted the first edition of Purvca Samvad 2025 – Conversations for Sustainable Urban Futures in North East India at the NEDFi Convention Centre in Guwahati on November 7.
The day-long event brought together policymakers, transport experts, urban planners, academics, civil society members, media personnel and students to discuss the theme “Sustainable Urban Mobility: Public Transport, Walking & Cycling.”
The discussions focused on building a transport system that is clean, inclusive, safe, and climate-resilient, aligning with India’s broader goals of sustainable urban development.
The event opened with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp and shradhanjali to late Zubeen Garg, flautist Dipak Sarma, and radio artiste Syed Sadulla.
In his welcome address, Arshel Akhter, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Purvca Foundation, spoke about the need to bring together diverse voices to make cities more people-centric and environmentally sustainable.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Akhilesh Kumar Maurya, Professor of Civil Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, who suggested a sustainable roadmap for urban mobility in the context of rapid urbanisation and rising air pollution and congestion levels.
Spotlight speakers included Dr. Arup Kumar Misra (Chairman, Assam Pollution Control Board), Dimbeswar Talukdar (Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority), Dr. Bhairavi Joshi (BYCS India Foundation, Surat), Abhijit Lokre (The Urban Lab Foundation, Ahmedabad), and Rizwan Uz Zaman (Assam Climate Change Management Society).
Guwahati Municipal Corporation Ward Councillors Ratna Singh and Ashish Bharali also participated and shared valuable inputs about work being done by the government.
A major highlight 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 Program with support from the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, surveyed nearly 600 women across 60 municipal wards to understand their experiences in bus-based public transportation.
The event was supported by Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, Numaligarh Refinery Limited, Assam Climate Change Management Society (ACCMS), Assam Pollution Control Board, BYCS India, Transitions Research, and The Urban Lab (TUL) Foundation.
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Purvca Samvad 2025 concluded with reflections and a call to action for all stakeholders to work collectively toward making Guwahati a model for sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient mobility in the Northeast.
