Experts push vision for human-centric cities

Cycling is the best form of exercise and a solution to pollution," said Mandaviya, who holds the labour & employment and youth affairs & sports portfolios. Recalling his early days as a member of Parliament, he said, "I cycled to Parliament daily and was known as the 'cycle-wala MP'. We must shed the notion that cycling is only for a certain segment and turn it into a movement for all."

- Jasjeev Gandhiok and Snehil Sinha [e-mail]

Panellists at three-day event discuss the need to design for people, not cars, as they called for conversations on fairer cities.

That idea drove the conversations at Urban Adda 2025 - a three-day national dialogue on urban futures that kicked off on World Bicycle Day at India Habitat Centre. Organised by the Raahgiri Foundation in collaboration with the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and GuruJal, the event was inaugurated by Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who urged citizens to embrace cycling as a sustainable and healthy habit. Hindustan Times is the media partner for the event.

The minister also launched two books authored by Dr Bhairavi Joshi - Cycling, Children & Cities, and Road to Cycle2School - advocating safe, active mobility for children and youth.

The event's inaugural theme, "Gati & Grace - Mobility, Art & Access for All", focused on building more inclusive, accessible and people-friendly cities. It featured sessions on improving roads, public spaces and transport infrastructure with inputs from policymakers, artists, activists and urban designers.

The opening session titled "The Human Centred Cities: Designing for Well-being, Connection and Sustainable Futures", called for cities to be designed not just efficiently, but equitably. "A change in mindset is something we are all working towards, but statutory guidelines are extremely important," said Ranjit Gadgil, programme director at Pune-based NGO Parisar. The session was moderated by Sarika Panda Bhatt of the Raahgiri Foundation.