‘Cities are not just roads and buildings’: Governor Gupta at Future Cities Forum

Governor Kavinder Gupta said Indian cities “are not merely clusters of roads and buildings” but centres where opportunities are created and industries flourish, addressing the inaugural session of Future Cities Forum 2026 in Pune. The forum was organised by Pune Times Mirror in collaboration with the Lexicon Group on the theme “India’s Cities: Leading the Growth of Viksit Bharat.”

Gupta said the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 can be realised only when Indian cities emerge as centres of innovation, good governance, sustainability, technological excellence and human values, adding that future cities must be smart as well as inclusive, environmentally responsible and citizen-centric.

He called for urban centres that are safe, clean, green and environmentally sustainable while preserving India’s cultural heritage alongside modern infrastructure, saying future cities must balance technological advancement with sensitivity to citizens’ needs.

Gupta said India stands at a defining moment where its aspirations extend beyond economic growth toward building a prosperous, self-reliant and developed nation, and that the Viksit Bharat vision requires cities to become engines of economic growth and models of sustainable development.

He said meaningful progress requires collaboration among governments, urban local bodies, industry, educational institutions and civil society, and expressed hope the forum would serve as a catalyst for innovation and sustainable urban development.