As part of the International Urban Cooperation (IUC) programme, a delegation of six Vijayawada City representatives, led by the Honourable Mayor Mr. Koneru Sreedhar and the Honourable Municipal Commissioner Mr. Nivas Janardhanan, visited the City of Hamburg from 3 - 7 December 2018. The Indian delegation witnessed best practices in Hamburg on urban development projects, smart city initiatives, urban data sharing, solid waste management, and sustainable transport. The delegation also had the opportunity to share Vijayawada’s best practices, particularly on urban data management, urban planning and solid waste management.

The five-day programme gave the visiting delegation exposure to a variety of urban development success stories, both in practice and in theory. Going forward, the two cities will work together on an urban issues action plan to enhance citizens’ quality of life.

Ms. C. Nienstedt, Head of the Office of the State in Hamburg said: “We welcome the Vijayawada delegation to Hamburg and are happy to participate in this European Union exchange programme. Our city has taken a number of effective initiatives in the fields of sustainable transport, solid waste management and smart development, and we are ready to share this experience. City-to-city cooperation on urban issues can lead to a more sustainable world in line with international frameworks.”

Mr. Koneru Sreedhar stated: “We are impressed with the urban infrastructure systems in Hamburg and we look forward to examining how to implement some key best practices in Vijayawada. We also invite the City of Hamburg to visit Vijayawada to understand the possibilities of collaboration in specific areas."

Mr. Janardhanan Nivas said: “Our initial interactions and discussions with Hamburg set the context for a long lasting relationship. We found a lot of useful possibilities as part of this collaboration, especially in the areas of data sharing and sustainable mobility. As part of the EU’s IUC India programme, we are looking forward to a productive cooperation and exchange of ideas to the benefit of both cities.”

For more information, contact Mr. Ashish Verma, IUC India: averma@iuc-india.eu