AI Alliance Pune: Most cities sit on piles of data; AI to aid in decision-making, says Mumbai Metro MD

Mumbai Metro MD Ashwini Bhide

Mumbai Metro MD Ashwini Bhide on March 27 said that most cities are sitting on piles of data, which they are unable to utilise effectively to improve governance.

Speaking at the CNBC-TV18 & Moneycontrol AI Alliance Pune, she said: "AI and similar technologies can help organise data properly, extract useful insights, and use those data-driven insights in decision-making processes."

"We need to learn how technology can improve the quality of our urban administration, and with collaborative efforts like this with AI startups, big giants, other industry partners, and policymakers, if they come together and find out ways, urban administration will see a lot of transformation," she said.

During COVID-19 management in Mumbai, she said, it was fully data-driven insights that were provided and for that, they were helped by many industry leaders who worked with them voluntarily in the beginning. "They made us aware that we have to get the right kind of information from the ground and prepare ourselves for a long haul," she said.

“What happens is, there are different departments, they all work in silos, and nobody knows what the other is doing and how to extract the data. I've experienced firsthand what data-driven insights can do and how administration can perform much better than normal," she said.

Digital integration

She emphasised that physical integration alone is insufficient for public transport. "We have to provide a lot of other services where people can travel not only on Metro from point A to point B but may have to take multiple modes of transport. They may have to take a suburban train, then a bus, and finally Uber or Ola,” she said.

“But if all that is available on one platform where people are properly informed about it, they can plan their journey, then probably they will use public transport instead of travelling in their vehicles. Today there are multiple transport options, but people are not ready to extend those options because there is still a dearth of real-time information, and that data is there but it is not converted into usable or applicable information,” she explained.

Stating that complementary efforts are also required to make public transport more attractive to people, she said: "So these kinds of physical and digital technology interventions and mixes are needed to ensure people switch over from their cars to the Metro."

She highlighted the importance of the National Common Mobility Card, stating that it enables digital integration among different modes of transport.

No city is livable without public transport

Bhide said public transport is essential for enhancing urban livability, as it enables mobility and connectivity.

"Without efficient public transport, cities cannot thrive, regardless of their other strengths. Therefore, ensuring the effectiveness of public transport is important for urban growth. To achieve this, we must embrace a shift in our mindset, approach, and attitude, recognising that technology offers solutions to these challenges," she added.