More than 20000 visitors, 100+ exhibitors, 100+ speakers, and 5000+ operators from 28 states and 8 Union Territories participated in the 3-day Passenger Mobility conclave; thought leaders from India and abroad congregated at Prawaas to ideate, share best practices, innovation and discuss the future of passenger mobility
Prawaas 3.0, the flagship passenger mobility event of the Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI), concluded with a rousing response. The three-day event brought together leading bus & car operators from across India in eight important segments viz: Intercity, Intracity, School Bus, Employee Transport, Tour Operators, Tourists Cabs, Maxi Cabs, and PPP-SPVs. The event brought together operators, OEMs, policymakers, thought leaders, and industry captains on the same platform to redefine passenger mobility in the country.
The Prawaas event has taken giant strides since its inception and has become the most sought-after platform for all things public transport. This year the business exhibition had over 100 marquee exhibitors, encompassing national and international brands and pathbreaking startups providing passenger mobility solutions. The central theme of the event – “Towards Safe, Smart, Sustainable Passenger Mobility” echoes the ethos of the apex organization, BOCI. The event is supported by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and Ministry of Heavy Industries, Govt. of India.
Shri Prasanna Patwardhan, President, BOCI, said, “Private transport operators ferry more than 32 crore passengers daily. This is exponentially higher than airlines, railways, and STUs. Yet, the sector has not received due recognition. Buses provide multi-pronged benefits and can help decongest city roads, reduce the cost of travel and boost revenue to the government through taxes. Domestic tourism, which is severely hit due to pandemics, can also benefit from better mobility solutions.
I sincerely urge the government to provide much-needed policy and fiscal support to the private transport sector and recognize the sector’s contribution to the country’s economy. A conducive ecosystem will bring ease of travel to millions of people every day.”
The 3-day Prawaas 3.0event featured a richly immersive conference attended by industry leaders from across the country. The topics of discussions included Green Energy – Vehicles and Infrastructure, Role of Passenger Transport to Boost Tourism, Future of Public Transport, Changing Times for Passenger Transport with Innovative Technologies, among many other thought-provoking and invigorating sessions.
Another highlight of the conference was the much-awaited Prawaas Excellence Awards. The awards were conferred to deserving operators across various categories, including Best Operator, Safety Awards, People’s Choice Awards, etc.
The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred to Late Shri KT Rajashekhara. He was the first chairman of BOCI and played a pivotal role in strengthening the voice of bus operators across India.
Padmashri Dr. Vijay Sankeshwar of VRL Group was awarded BOCI Prawaas Special Recognition Award for his invaluable contribution.
Dr. Rajendra Jagadale was accorded BOCI Prawaas Special Recognition Award for bringing disruptive ideas to the transport sector to make it safe, smart, and sustainable.
Shri T Harish Rao, Minister of Finance, Govt. of Telangana, and Shri Pinipe Viswarup, Minister of Transport, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, graced the event with their presence. While commending BOCI for bringing all key stakeholders on one platform, took note of the key asks of the sector and assured timely action to create a conducive environment for the passenger mobility sector.
Shri Giridhar Aramane, Secretary MORTH Govt of India, addressed the gathering covering a wide spectrum of topics, including integrated multi-modal transport, and assured operators of the government’s commitment to policy reforms and initiatives in making passenger mobility safe, smart, and sustainable by bringing ease of doing business and requisite infrastructure.
