Ahmedabad: The five-day innovative European Union--Metropolitan Lab, ended recently with expert teams from Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA), Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), GIFT, Metrorail MEGA, and CEPT University and other institutions participating in the workshop. These major planning bodies presented the outcomes of their teamwork regarding integrated transportation nodes, high speed centrality system, education, productive activities, and the environment for Ahmedabad and surrounding regions. The programme had been launched on March 6.

The almost weeklong Metropolitan Lab saw European Union (EU), UN-Habitat, and several universities participate in the workshop. The workshop was conducted within the framework of EU's urban initiatives in India as part of the preparation for an EU-India Sustainable Urbanisation Partnership project.

On the occasion of the workshop, H Faergemann, first counsellor environment, energy, climate change, delegation of the EU to India, said, "The Lab represents a unique practical experience and the results will become a reference for future metropolitan management in India and elsewhere."

Professor V Phatak, Dean of the faculty of planning, Cept University said, "This project is providing EU and Indian participants with valuable first-hand experience in sustainable urbanization in both regions and has set the scene for future cooperation." 


Experts at the workshop examined Gujarat's urbanscapes and explored ways of including processes that will help in sustainable urbanization.