Nicholas Reece, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, presented the LoI to Tushar Giri Nath, Additional Chief Secretary of Karnataka’s Urban Development Department, and Maheshwar Rao, Chief Commissioner of the GBA.
Bengaluru, Melbourne sign LoI to boost innovation and sustainable urban development
Bengaluru
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and the city of Melbourne on Monday formalised a Letter of Intent (LoI) aimed at strengthening cooperation in innovation, sustainability and inclusive urban development.
The document was handed over at a ceremony held at Taj West End, where Nicholas Reece, Lord Mayor of Melbourne, presented the LoI to Tushar Giri Nath, Additional Chief Secretary of Karnataka’s Urban Development Department, and Maheshwar Rao, Chief Commissioner of the GBA.
Melbourne expressed strong interest in partnering with Bengaluru to advance next-generation urban solutions. Both cities agreed to explore collaboration across five priority sectors:
- Urban innovation and smart cities
- Technology and innovation ecosystems
- Sustainability and climate resilience
- Education and knowledge exchange
- Cultural and sports exchange
Speaking at the event, Additional Chief Secretary Tushar Giri Nath said structured knowledge exchange between the two cities would contribute significantly to future development.
GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao noted that the LoI would strengthen mutual learning and cooperation, benefiting ongoing and upcoming urban development initiatives.
Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece said Melbourne looked forward to co-creating AI-driven city solutions that foster innovation and growth in both cities.
During the event, officials also presented an overview of GBA’s functioning and Bengaluru’s ongoing and future urban projects. The Lord Mayor praised the governance models of GBA and the city corporations.
The event was attended by Deputy Lord Mayor Roisin Campbell of Melbourne, Bengaluru Central City Corporation Commissioner Rajendra Cholan, Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar, and senior officials from both cities.