WRI, Toyota mobility launch STAMP to solve connectivity problems

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WRI, Toyota mobility launched STAMP an initiative invites for other entrepreneurs, citizens' groups, professionals, and students to share their ideas. The proposals provided by the innovators should enhance the last-mile connectivity options to metro/suburban rail, and/or traffic flow management systems for station access areas.

The selected winner will be able to develop the idea by the information provided from MMRDA, MCGM, MTP, MRVC, MMOPL and WRI India. The selected team will have to manage with the stakeholder to help adapt solutions to identified problem statements. On the main day, the teams have to culminate a public pitch, of which the 2-3 winners will receive research grants and an opportunity to pilot their solutions.

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Basically, the initiative is to bring an innovative solution for the crowd management and connectivity for and to the metro station. So, connectivity of travelling would be easy. This is the fourth edition of STAMP and previously it was launched at Kochi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. The program was initiated in 2017 and it enables station accessibility through a partnership model with the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. The fourth edition of the program is introduced after successful pilots in Bangalore in 2017 and Hyderabad and Kochi in 2018.

Madhav Pai, director of WRI said, "It's a six-week challenge that the companies will bring innovative ideas to solve the issue and improve the connectivity, the winner will have the chance of 9-month pilot within the city. The winner will receive a grant and technical support."

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Dr. OP Agarwal, CEO of WRI said, "There will be 70 applicants, there will a jury of experts, who will choose which solution is quite apt for the problem. By mid of September, the winner will be announced and pilot of the solution will be conducted in the metro line one. Meantime, the other metro construction will be getting done."

Madhav Pai further added, "One of the successful start-ups that happened last year was the Bounce, it was a bike rental startup, it was making the daily commuter stress free, the commuter has to book from the app and drive to the destination. It began from Namma metro, now it has provided to other 36 stations."

MMRDA commissioner R A Rajeev said, "MMRDA is providing additional transport system, the way the metro has catered to 8 million passengers trips per day. We are supporting WRI to bring up new and smooth, efficient ride for first/last-mile connectivity. We are contributing with WRI and other agencies to bring up new innovative and technological ideas for an easy ride. In fact, BEST and Mumbai railways are supportive with this idea as they also want the commuters to have an easy way to transport daily."

At the event the CEO and president Abhay Mishra from Reliance Transport Business was present. Dr. Surendra Kumar Bagde, general manager of BEST and Ashwini Bhide, MD of MMRC were also present.

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