The current year's competition focuses on the Indian Railways which has recently announced plans to reshape and redevelop its 22 railway stations, which are now centuries old, into world class facilities. In the competition, students were called upon to create a conceptual design to upgrade the New Delhi Railway station, the first facility on the Indian railways redevelopment roadmap schedule. The program which is open to all school going students of Delhi and NCR is also co-sponsored by McGraw-Hill Education and the American Centre.
Addressing the participating students, teachers and audience, Global Director of Bentley's BE Careers Network, Scott Lofgren, said, "Infrastructure sustains our world and serves as the interface between people and our planet. It provides the critically important facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of our society and well being of its people. I believe that it is important to engage young professionals as we need many more new architects and engineers to meet the future infrastructural requirements of the booming Indian economy."
Future Cities India 2020 engages the brightest and talented young minds of the country in infrastructure designing and development projects to encourage them to choose career in architectural, engineering, and construction disciplines. The initiatives will help sustaining infrastructure related professions and will also lead to create better infrastructure for our future generations, he added.
The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, NSDI & Head NRDMS Department of Science and Technology, Dr. R. Sivakumar, in his address clarified that as per the norms of the competition each team in the 2008–09 Future Cities India 2020 competition must address three areas for designing the conceptual solution: Use the existing land and infrastructure to best advantage, accommodate internal access zones, with separate parking lots at Paharganj and Ajmeri Gate Terminals and use environmentally responsible materials. The winners of the final competition will be awarded scholarships and trophies and the teachers and technical professionals who serve as counselors and mentors will receive awards and recognition.
