The UrbanShift Country Project of the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), in collaboration with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), has announced a national-level design competition titled “TOD-Reimagined: Reimagining Sustainable Mobility in TOD Areas of Pune.” The initiative invites innovative, implementable design proposals to strengthen Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) as a people-centric and climate-responsive urban strategy in Pune.
Launched under the UrbanShift programme supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the competition aims to re-envision high-density transit corridors as inclusive, walkable, and resilient urban environments. It places strong emphasis on sustainable mobility modes such as walking, cycling, and public transport, while ensuring equitable access for diverse user groups.
Encouraging Citizen-Led Urban Transformation
The competition seeks to move beyond conventional top-down planning by incorporating local perspectives into city-level governance. By engaging students, professionals, innovators, and community groups from across India, the initiative aims to transform Pune’s TOD areas into living laboratories for inclusive design, sustainable mobility, and long-term urban resilience. This approach reinforces Pune’s role as a lighthouse city for sustainable urbanism in India.
Who Can Participate
Participation is open to multidisciplinary teams, including architects, urban designers, planners, students, academic institutions, sociologists, artists, community groups, technology innovators, start-ups, NGOs, professional firms, and interested citizens. This broad eligibility encourages cross-sector collaboration and diverse design thinking.
Focus Areas and Design Scope
Participants are encouraged to propose solutions across multiple scales—from micro-level public realm improvements to city-region innovations. Design proposals may address:
- Physical interventions, including innovative public space and streetscape design rooted in kinetic urbanism;
- Digital solutions, such as urban intelligence systems that improve accessibility and efficiency;
- Financial and operational models, including value-cycle governance and long-term sustainability frameworks.
Submissions may focus on individual themes or integrate multiple components for comprehensive impact.
Submission Requirements
Entries must include a design proposal presented in a PowerPoint (maximum 20 slides, font size minimum 12), submitted in both PPT and PDF formats, along with supporting visuals, walkthroughs, or videos. In addition, participants must submit a pitch video of no more than two minutes explaining the problem, proposed intervention, and implementation strategy. Proposals should also outline scalability and adaptability to other Indian cities.
Key Dates and Awards
The competition commenced on 24 December 2025, with the last date for submission on 31 January
2026. Jury evaluation is scheduled for 10 February 2026, followed by the announcement of selected entries on 13 February 2026 and the final winners on 17 February 2026 (dates tentative).
To recognise outstanding innovation, cash prizes will be awarded:
- First Prize: ₹1,00,000
- Second Prize: ₹50,000
- Third Prize: ₹20,000
All participants will receive certificates of recognition for contributing to a citizen-led vision of sustainable mobility.
How to Apply
Design proposals can be submitted through the official online submission form. Queries related to the competition can be addressed via email to urbanshift.connect@niua.co.in until 30 January 2026.
Through this initiative, NIUA and PMC aim to catalyse innovative thinking and collaborative action, shaping Pune’s TOD areas into models of smarter, sustainable, and inclusive urban mobility for cities across India.
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