Mumbai, Nov 19 (TNN): From Amsterdam to Murcia in Spain to Riga, the capital of Latvia, Mumbai on Monday was picking up tips from various European Union cities on sustainable development.

Along with Mumbai First, the state government has organized a two-day conference to deliberate on the challenges of Mumbai as a mega city. Narinder Nayar of Mumbai First said the objective of the conference was to ensure the city does not have to reinvent the wheel, rather it can learn from the experiences of other cities. "Most of the European cities were devastated during the war and then rebuilt. There are many things that we could learn and adapt as Mumbai builds up its infrastructure," he said. The conference is being attended by representatives from 35 European cities. Former municipal commissioner D M Sukhtankar said while the scenario in European countries was completely different from that in Mumbai, it could benefit from technologies being used in these cities for its upgradation.

Olga Veidina, deputy mayor of Riga, spoke about how the city transformed itself into a smart city with widespread access to wi-fi and an emphasis on public transport. "Citizens are encouraged to come up with ideas to develop public spaces. If an idea is accepted, the local government co-finances its implementation," she said. Anthony Durcan, councillor Harlow Council, UK, said there is a need to create a sense of ownership and there must be community participation, only then can a city transform itself. State chief secretary J K Banthia said the private sector must support the government's initiatives towards sustainable development.