New Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) The Union government on Friday awarded Surat the city with the best public transport system and Kochi for the most sustainable transport system.

According to the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, Delhi was awarded the best non-motorised transport system for the redevelopment project of Shahjanabad Redevelopment Corporation.

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The awards were given away by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri at the Urban Mobility India conference.

Delhi Metro has been awarded 'Metro Rail with the Best Passenger Services and Satisfaction'.

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Indore has been awarded 'City with the Most Innovative Financing Mechanism', the ministry said, adding Nashik was awarded 'City with Best Record of Public Involvement in its Transport Planning'.

Earlier in the day, Puri, in his inaugural address, said the urban population in 2020 accounted for 56 per cent of the total global population, up from 30 per cent in 1950.

It is expected to increase to 60 per cent by 2030. Of this, almost 90 per cent is anticipated to be in Asia and Africa, according to an official statement.

"This accelerated urbanization is the driving force behind the need for increased transportation of people and goods which is responsible for more than 30 per cent of the world's energy consumption," the minister said.

He reiterated that sustainable mobility and universal access is crucial for achieving the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development Goals.

Puri said with the government's focus towards the world's largest vaccination drive, which has now crossed the one billion mark, India has taken a lead in this direction.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)