Indian urban transport agencies receive national awards

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has presented national awards to the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) and the Bengaluru Traffic Police during the India Urban Mobility Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Chennai’s MTC received the award for ‘City with the Most Viable Financing Arrangement for Urban Transport’. The recognition highlights the corporation’s efforts to improve financial sustainability and operational efficiency. Supported by the World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Development Board, MTC utilizes performance-based Viability Gap Funding linked to key performance indicators such as service reliability and vehicle utilization.

The Bengaluru Traffic Police was honored with a Commendation Award for its use of big data analytics in urban transport management. The initiative utilizes the ASTraM platform, which integrates data from CCTV systems, GPS feeds, and traffic signals using artificial intelligence to enable proactive, intelligence-led traffic operations and congestion management.