Prawaas 4.0, the highly anticipated flagship multimodal transportation exhibition, was inaugurated on August 30, 2024, by D.K. Shivakumar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka. Organized by the Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI), this prominent event highlights advancements in the transportation sector.
Prawaas 4.0 has garnered significant support from six local host associations, including the Karnataka State Tourism Private Transport Owner’s Association, the Karnataka State Travel Operator’s Association, the Karnataka Tourist Motor Cab Maxi Cab Owners Welfare Association (KTOA), the Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners Association (BTTOA), the Karnataka State Tourist Bus Operators Association, and the Karnataka State Bus Owners’ Federation. The event is meticulously curated by MM Activ Sci-Tech Communications.
The event, held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre in Bengaluru from August 29-30, 2024, is endorsed by several key governmental bodies. These include the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Ministry of Heavy Industries, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs from the Government of India.
The event also featured a video address from Nitin Gadkari, the Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport & Highways, who offered his encouragement and support to the entire transport operator community. Minister Gadkari emphasized the critical role of transportation in fostering economic development by providing essential mobility for both people and goods.
He noted that, despite the crucial role of buses in India’s public transportation system, a staggering 93% of these buses still operate on diesel. To address this issue, he advocated for a shift towards more eco-friendly fuel alternatives such as ethanol, methanol, biogas, CNG, LNG, electric, and green hydrogen.
This transition is vital not only for economic sustainability but also for reducing pollution and ensuring the long-term viability of the public transport system. D.K. Shivakumar echoed these sentiments, recognizing the indispensable role of the transport industry in serving 92% of the general population and providing numerous employment opportunities.
This year’s Prawaas 4.0 Conference features over 100 experts discussing various facets of multimodal transportation, including Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models, school buses, tourism, electric vehicles (EVs), insurance, and the car industry. The event is expected to attract over 1500 industry representatives.
For the first time, Prawaas 4.0 will be held in Bengaluru, showcasing a remarkable array of innovations in the public transport sector. The exhibition will feature more than 200 exhibitors, including prominent names such as Tata Motors, Volvo Eicher, RedBus, Veera, Abhibus, Prakash, Nippon Paint, JBM Group, Eka Mobility, Repos Energy, Ashok Leyland, Eberspächer, Bosch, Trans ACNR, Spheros Motherson, Futureautotech-Global Ventures, Audi, BMW Deutsche Motoren, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Renault, Maruti Suzuki, and many others.
The focal theme of Prawaas 4.0, “Safe, Smart, and Sustainable Passenger Mobility,” aims to unite key stakeholders from across the multimodal transport sector. The exhibition will present a diverse spectrum of participants, including bus and car manufacturers, fleet operators, and partners from all 28 states and 8 union territories of India.
