New Delhi: Municipalika 2026, the 18th edition of India’s international exhibition and conference focused on safe, smart and sustainable city solutions, concluded at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi after three days of discussions on urban infrastructure, governance and sustainable development.
The event brought together policymakers, city administrators, global organisations and industry representatives to deliberate on strategies aimed at strengthening India’s urban development framework in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Power Manohar Lal inaugurated the conference on February 25 in the presence of senior officials and international representatives including UN-Habitat Executive Director Anaclaudia Rossbach, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs D Thara, Karnal Mayor and Chairperson of the All India Council of Mayors Renu Bala, and Good Governance India Foundation President V Suresh.
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Addressing the gathering, Manohar Lal said India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation will depend significantly on the strength of its cities, emphasising the need for coordinated governance, infrastructure investment and technology integration.
The organisers said the event witnessed participation from representatives of more than 300 cities across over 25 states, along with 300 exhibitors, 3,000 delegates and over 10,000 urban professionals, making it one of the largest platforms in the country for discussions on city infrastructure and urban innovation.
Speaking on the occasion, V Suresh, President of the Good Governance India Foundation and former CMD of HUDCO, said Municipalika has evolved into a national platform where policy discussions and practical implementation converge.
“Municipalika has evolved into a national convergence platform where policy vision meets implementation reality. The scale of participation this year reflects the growing recognition that India’s urban transformation requires structured collaboration between government institutions, industry innovators and global partners. Our objective is not merely to deliberate but to accelerate solutions that are practical, scalable and financially viable for cities across the country,” he said.
The first day of the conference focused on governance reforms, infrastructure resilience and the use of digital technologies in urban management. Experts discussed the role of building information modelling (BIM), artificial intelligence and digital systems in improving planning, project execution and monitoring of city infrastructure projects.
On the second day, discussions expanded to areas including water and wastewater management, sanitation, solid waste systems, sustainable construction practices and green building technologies. Sessions also addressed climate change, housing initiatives and innovative financing mechanisms required for large-scale urban infrastructure development.
A key highlight of the event was the Urban Innovation Challenge 2026, a national competition organised by the Good Governance India Foundation in association with Municipalika. The competition received over 135 registrations and more than 290 submissions from students and young professionals focusing on resilient development, sustainable built environments and redevelopment strategies.
Entries were evaluated by a national jury based on innovation, scalability and social impact, and 36 winners were recognised during the awards ceremony. Delhi minister Ashish Sood attended the ceremony as chief guest.
The final day of the conference focused on integrated urban mobility systems, including mass transit networks, electric vehicles and regional connectivity, along with renewable energy adoption and climate-responsive infrastructure planning.
Officials including Nalin Kumar Srivastava, Deputy Director General at the National Mission for Clean Ganga, participated in discussions on river rejuvenation, water sustainability and integrated urban ecosystem planning.
Municipalika 2026 received institutional support from several ministries including the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Earth Sciences, along with national missions such as AMRUT, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban, Swachh Bharat Mission, Namami Gange and the River Cities Alliance.
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Industry participants including Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles, UltraTech Cement, Ashok Leyland, Saint-Gobain, NBCC and Tata Projects showcased solutions related to mobility, construction technologies, clean energy systems and smart city infrastructure.
Organisers said Municipalika will continue to serve as a collaborative platform connecting government institutions, industry stakeholders and global partners as India prepares for a significant phase of urban expansion in the coming decades.
