DH Bengaluru 2040 summit discusses city's future development

The fourth edition of the DH Bengaluru 2040 summit was held on February 21 at JW Marriott. The event featured discussions on strategies for Bengaluru's future development. The annual summit featured discussions on strategies to address Bengaluru's development challenges and opportunities.

Welcoming the audience, KV Subramanya, executive editor, Deccan Herald, explained how Bengaluru’s newspaper has been documenting the city’s triumphs and challenges. “Today, as the city stands at a pivotal juncture, this summit reflects our commitment to fostering actionable dialogue on building a Bengaluru that is thriving, sustainable, and liveable by 2040,” he stated and expressed confidence that Bengaluru would reinvent itself, as it always has. 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his inaugural address, spoke of the 'Brand Bengaluru' initiative, and asserted that "progressive urban planning" would be integrated with "responsible governance". 

“Bengaluru represents innovation and progress while remaining deeply rooted in its cultural heritage. The strength of Bengaluru lies in its people, the dreamers, the doers and the changemakers," Siddaramaiah said. "Our collective responsibility is to ensure the city's progress benefits everyone — from small business owners to corporate leaders." 

The chief minister also announced several urban infrastructure projects, including tunnel roads, a second international airport, four zones for systematic and effective disposal of waste, digitisation of property tax records, and a global hub for innovation and sustainability. 

Delivering the keynote address, Chetan Maini, co-founder and chairman of Sun Mobility, called for a shift from the culture of 'swalpa adjust maadi' to 'swalpa innovate maadi'. 

“The convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), electric vehicles and renewable energy offer Bengaluru a chance to take the lead in revolution that will fundamentally reshape the way we live… Faster adoption of EVs has already put Bengaluru in a good position to unlock the future potential of sustainable and intelligent mobility,” he noted. 

The summit focused on Bengaluru’s development, bringing together policymakers, corporate leaders, urban planners, and experts to discuss key issues. Panels covered topics like AI’s impact on work, Bengaluru’s role as a startup hub, real estate growth, and urban cleanup efforts.

The summit addressed key urban issues, including the need for a second airport, green mobility, cybercrime prevention, and mental wellness in a growing city.

Sponsors and partners included Puravankara, EuroSchool, BBMP, Hublot, Cambridge Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mercedes Benz Akshay Motors, Manipal Hospitals, BMRCL, GAIL, VTU, Margadarsi, Adfactors PR, and Republic TV.

A special video highlighting the key discussion at the event will be aired on Republic TV on March 1 and 2 and 5:30 pm.

afaqs! received this information in a press release.