Volvo Buses in India has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable mobility and transport by announcing start of registration for the Volvo Sustainable Mobility Awards 2014. The company is inviting stakeholders from among citizen groups/NGOs, organisations/consultancies, and institutions, among others, to participate in the fourth edition of the Awards aimed at rewarding progressive and practical action in the area of promoting sustainable solutions in urban mobility.
Instituted in 2011, the Volvo Sustainable Mobility Awards have now become very popular with valuable participation from across the nation. The past recipients of the Awards include Mapunity, EMBARQ India, India Urban Space Foundation, ArriveSAFE, Mumbai Environmental Social Network, Praja, EcoCabs and Ride-A-Cycle Foundation.
This year the overall prize money has been increased to Rs. 1.2 million. This includes Rs. 700,000 for the winner, Rs. 300,000 for the first runner-up and Rs. 200,000 for the newly-introduced category of second runner-up. The last date for registration is August 31.
The Awards has been instituted to recognise outstanding efforts in the broad area of sustainability. It also seeks to award practical action and engagement with society in this regard. Over the previous three editions of the awards, the participation levels both in terms of number of submissions as well as quality of projects have risen significantly. In 2013, a total of 51 eligible projects were submitted to the jury for assessment.
“The Volvo Sustainable Mobility Awards underlines Volvo Buses’ commitment to promote the need for sustainable mobility via collaboration with all stakeholders – an essential for our growing country and its cities. Mobility – its ease or its non-availability – has a significant impact on our quality of life. The participation till date has witnessed some highly passionate organisations and individuals seeking change, and we are glad to be able to reach out to them. By rewarding their valuable actions, we not only want to recognise their achievements, but want to showcase them as an inspiration for others to join in the movement towards a sustainable future,” said Mr. VRV Sriprasad, Managing Director, Volvo Buses in India.
An important aspect that has emerged over the past editions is the interpretations and scope of “sustainable mobility”. The projects submitted in the previous years address diverse areas such as bus transport, metro & commuter rail services, integration of multiple modes of transportation, urban planning, road planning, promoting non-motorised transport, pedestrian rights to safety & convenience and addressing environmental concerns, besides promoting new technologies to people.
All details about the 2014 Awards and the previous editions, along with eligibility criterion and guidance to register, are available at www.volvobuses.co.in