Introduction

The fifteenth Research Symposium with focus on “Standardisation and Optimisation of Urban Transport Solutions” will be held as part of the 17^th Urban Mobility India Conference cum Exhibition 2024 scheduled from 25^th – 27^th October, 2024 at Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. The event would be held under the aegis of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India and the Research Symposium will be coordinated this year by CEPT University, Ahmedabad. The symposium is a platform to highlight the current research activities in urban transport carried out by academic and research institutes, especially by young researchers.

The purpose of the Research Symposium is to:

• Encourage young researchers working in various facets of urban transport to present their research work and provide them an opportunity for networking with fellow researchers and professionals,
• Carryout capacity building of young researchers in the field of urban transport,
• Contribute towards building up of research data base, its dissemination and identification of research thrust in the country and
• Encourage the idea of developing solutions for Indian conditions indigenously

Who can participate?

Young researchers - existing students of PG / Ph.D. Program who have appeared in the final year exam this year or recently graduated students (Not earlier than May, 2023) - willing to contribute a paper (with or without any co-authors) on any of the themes mentioned below are invited to submit an abstract of maximum 500 words.

Research Symposium Themes

The theme of UMI conference is “Standardisation and Optimisation of Urban Transport Solutions”. The theme focuses on enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of urban transport solutions. As part of the research symposium, abstracts of research papers are invited on the following broad areas.

1. Integrated Land Use Transport Planning- The movement of people and goods is highly influenced by the urban structure. Previous trends in India favoured urban sprawl and prioritised motor vehicle-oriented development leading to increased private vehicle ownership, extended trip lengths and heightened traffic congestion. Though the recent focus has been on integrated land use transport planning with promotion of strategies like transit-oriented development (TOD), it's essential to carefully monitor their implementation and establish standards to optimise their effectiveness, including considerations for freight management.
2. Green and Inclusive Mobility- For balanced growth, it is important to optimise urban transport system ensuring accessibility, safety, affordability and convenience for all citizens while minimising negative externalities. This includes strategies like gender mainstreaming in transport planning, equitable road space distribution prioritising pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit, enhancing vehicle and fuel efficiency, multi-modal integration, and renewable energy integration. Concurrently, it's essential to evaluate the impacts of these strategies across social, environmental, and economic dimensions, including job creation, economic growth, and public health etc. to shape future policies and promote sustainable urban development.
3. Public Transport Planning and Operations- Recognising the economic and environmental benefits of public transport (PT) emphasises it should be on sustainable urban mobility for enhancing the quality of life. Establishing standards that prioritise PT and maintaining a satisfactory service level for public transport operation are essential not only for retaining existing users but also for attracting new users to PT and optimising the overall transport system. Strategies aimed at enhancing vehicle, network and operational efficiency are vital to ensuring that PT is beneficial for users, operators, and the environment.
4. Technological Applications in Urban Transport- Technological advancements play a pivotal role in modern urban transport. Integrating smart technologies such as IoT and AI, adopting autonomous and connected vehicles, advancing fuel options such as hydrogen and electric, promoting mobility as a service (MAAS), implementing smart ticketing and payment systems and utilising Intelligent Transport Management Systems are essential for creating a seamless and efficient transportation network. Ensuring quality and interoperability standards in emerging technologies along with establishing data sharing protocols can further optimise the implementation of technological solutions in urban transport.
5. Electric Mobility- Electrification across all modes, including PT, paratransit, micromobility, urban freight, and private vehicles, is becoming increasingly important to meet climate commitments. To facilitate this transition, it's important to adopt an ecosystem approach addressing the challenges associated with both demand and supply side of vehicle electrification. Key strategies to explore include indigenisation of EV components, promoting skill development, formulating safety protocols, instituting regulatory measures, stimulating demand, and establishing standardised charging protocols.
6. Urban Traffic Operations and Safety- Optimising traffic management measures is essential for efficient traffic operation and ensuring road safety within urban areas. This may involve the deployment of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), optimising signal timings, adopting congestion mitigation measures, parking management, development of dedicated lanes for public transport, pedestrians and cyclists, as well as the installation of traffic calming measures and clear signages. Continuous monitoring and assessment of traffic flow through methods such as performing road safety audits, utilising real-time data analysis for predictive traffic modelling, and setting service level benchmarks, are essential for effective management.
7. Financing and Governance of Urban Transport Systems- Financing and governance frameworks are instrumental in shaping urban transport. To promote sustainability, there is a need to shift focus of evaluating transport projects from solely financial analysis to economically justifying the projects considering various costs like those related to accidents, pollution and health implication. Effective implementation of transport initiatives requires continuous policy evolution and reforms in institutional structures and legislative frameworks. Additionally, it's crucial to explore innovative financing mechanisms like mobilisation of funds through leveraging land assets, engaging the private sector and implementing value capture strategies.
8. Mobility Solutions for Small and Medium Towns Including Hill Cities- With over 95% of Indian towns falling into the small and medium towns category, addressing their mobility challenges and reducing transport emissions is crucial for meeting national climate commitments. While larger cities often benefit from initiatives like JNNURM, AMRUT and Smart Cities, a more balanced approach is needed. Addressing the rise in private vehicle ownership, introducing/enhancing public transport system, upgrading para-transit modes, improving non-motorised transport infrastructure, and integrating smart technologies can benefit transport planning in small and medium towns, including hill cities. Moreover, effective transport systems in these towns necessitate standardised database and capacity-building for local stakeholders.

The final sessions will be based on the number of papers received and shortlisted for the presentation during the symposium. Abstracts not falling under the above themes are also encouraged to be submitted and can be considered if substantial number of papers are received to conduct a session.

Submission Guidelines

All papers must be original and should not be submitted simultaneously to another Journal or Conference. The abstract submission in EasyChair will remain open until 23^rd June, 2024. Please use the submission link provided above to submit your abstract.

To begin the submission process, authors are required to provide their details along with the paper's title, abstract, and keywords. The abstract should be a concise summary of the paper, limited to a maximum of 500 words. Upon selection, authors will be asked to submit the complete paper in pdf format corresponding to the chosen abstract.

Note: Please provide complete information of all the authors. In case of incomplete information, the entry shall not be accepted.

Intimation about the selection or otherwise of the abstract shall be communicated by email by 1^stJuly, 2024 after which the authors would need to submit the full paper by 9:00 AM IST on 12^th August, 2024. The guidelines for the submission of full paper will be communicated along with information about the selection or otherwise of the abstracts. Intimation of the acceptance (tentative) or rejection of the papers along with the review comments will be communicated by email by 1^st September, 2024. Thereafter, the authors need to submit the revised papers addressing the review comments by 15^th September, 2024. Intimation of final acceptance or rejection of the full papers [along with mode of presentation (oral or poster) for the accepted full papers] for the UMI conference will be communicated by email by 30^th September, 2024. The selected authors will have to submit the full presentation of papers shortlisted for oral mode (as per the UMI format) by 7^th October, 2024. Please note that the full paper for oral or poster presentation will not be distinguished based on the quality of papers (from review results) but would be decided purely based on logistical considerations at the conference venue. The authors of full papers (in poster mode) will have to bring the hard copy of their posters (as per the UMI format) to the conference venue. However, they will be required to submit the soft copy of their poster by 7^th October, 2024.

General Information

Expense Reimbursement for National Participants

Young researchers whose papers are selected for presentation in the research symposium shall be reimbursed the following costs for any one young research author against production of valid tickets:

• Travel by rail limited to AC- III tier / State Roadways bus fare by the shortest route.
• Out of pocket expense of Rs 2,000/- presenter

Participants shall have to make their own arrangements for boarding, lodging and local travel in Gandhinagar.

Contact Details

All queries regarding submission of Abstract /Paper, etc., should be emailed to Dr Shalini Sinha, Senior Associate Professor & Program Chair (Urban Transport Systems), Faculty of Planning, CEPT University, Ahmedabad at rs.umi2024@cept.ac.in.