This Driving Change Dialogue will bring together two distinguished experts with complementary perspectives spanning transport planning, policy design, environmental governance, and air quality management – fields that have traditionally evolved in parallel but are increasingly interconnected. Drawing on decades of experience across government, research, and international institutions, Dr. O.P. Agarwal and Dr. Virinder Sharma offer a unique opportunity to examine how transport systems can be designed not only to move people efficiently, but also to improve air quality, reduce pollution exposure, and support healthier urban environments.
By bridging the worlds of mobility and air quality, the discussion will reflect on India’s transport transition over the last three decades and explore questions that are becoming increasingly urgent for policymakers and practitioners: How should transport success be measured? How can environmental and health objectives be integrated into transport planning? And what institutional and policy changes are needed to build cities that are not only more connected and efficient, but also cleaner, healthier, and more liveable?
About the Driving Change Series
The Driving Change series, convened under the EPIC India Transport program, is designed as a platform for sustained, expert-focused engagement on critical questions at the intersection of transport emissions and air quality policy. The series builds on two earlier Driving Change conferences and a webinar held in January and December 2025, and May 2026, which brought together senior government officials, researchers, and sector experts to examine structural shifts in India’s clean mobility landscape.
As the fourth edition in this series, the Driving Change Dialogue format is intentionally more focused and conversational. It is structured as a moderated exchange rather than a panel or presentation-led discussions. The objective is to enable a more in-depth and experience-based reflection on policy design, implementation, and institutional decision-making. This edition of the Dialogue focuses on the intersection of transport, air quality, and urban sustainability, examining how India’s transport transition can deliver healthier and more liveable cities.