A Global Learning Experience for India’s Urban Rail Future: Key Reflections from UITP’s Urban Rail Systems Training in India
With cities expanding rapidly and expectations for safe, efficient, sustainable and seamless mobility continuing to rise, the ability to plan, develop and operate high-performing urban rail systems has become increasingly critical. The next chapter of urban rail will require not only infrastructure and technology, but also strong institutions, capable leadership and a workforce equipped to navigate growing complexity.
Against this backdrop, UITP organised a Training in India on Digital Transformation and Future-Ready Metro Systems, hosted by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) on 31 August – 2 September 2026 in Delhi which brought together leading professionals and international experts to explore how digitalisation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and intelligent operations are reshaping the future of metro systems.
Day 1: Digital Transformation as the Foundation for Future-Ready Metros
The programme commenced with the Inaugural Session where Mr Rajnish Rana, Joint General Manager, DMRC, introduced the training programme, followed by a Welcome Address from Mr Ghansham Bansal, Director General, DMRC Academy. Ms Rupa Nandy, Head of UITP India, provided an overview of the programme, followed by opening remarks from Dr. Amit Kumar Jain, Director – Operations & Services, DMRC.
The inaugural session featured a keynote address by Dr. Vikas Kumar, Managing Director, DMRC, who highlighted the importance of leveraging data more effectively to enhance operational efficiency and deliver better passenger services. His remarks established a strong strategic foundation for the discussions that followed.
Session 1: Digital Transformation as an Operational Strategy
Dr. Amit Kumar Jain, DMRC, shared DMRC’s experience of digital transformation as an operational strategy, demonstrating how digital capabilities can strengthen metro operations, improve efficiency and enable more informed and effective decision-making.
Session 2: Digital Transformation & Smart Mobility
The discussion then broadened to the evolving landscape of smart mobility. Mr Yogi Kapadia, Principal Engineer – Transport Control & Information Systems, Transport for London (TfL), United Kingdom, explored the transition from digitalisation to meaningful digital transformation, offering an operator’s perspective on how technology can create tangible value across the transport system.
Session 3: AI Maturity Models for Metro Operators
As artificial intelligence increasingly shapes the future of transport, Mr Karel Mosselmans, Director of Movement – Metro Business Unit, STIB-MIVB, Belgium, examined AI readiness, analytics and benchmarking, exploring the progression towards increasingly sophisticated and prescriptive intelligence for metro operators.
Session 4: Cyber-Physical Security – I
With digital connectivity creating new opportunities as well as new vulnerabilities, Mr Yogi Kapadia, TfL, addressed the growing importance of cyber-physical security and the protection of digitally enabled transport infrastructure and operations.
Session 5: Real-Time Operational Decision Support Systems
Closing the first day, Mr Artur Sarrate, Digitalisation and Innovation Project Manager, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), Spain, explored the use of Operations Control Centre data and dashboards, distinguishing decision support from automation and examining the role of trusted AI tools in supporting operational teams and managing cognitive load.
Together, the sessions established a central theme for the training – digital transformation is not simply about adopting new technologies, it is about using them intelligently to strengthen operations, empower people and improve the passenger experience.
Day 2: Building Secure, Intelligent and Automated Operations
The second day moved from strategic digital transformation towards its practical application across cybersecurity, maintenance and automated operations.
Session 6: Cyber-Physical Security – II
Prof. Amit Dubey, National Security Expert, India, continued the focus on cybersecurity, addressing fundamental principles, safety considerations, cyber-physical threat scenarios and service continuity. The session reinforced the importance of embedding resilience and security into the design and operation of digitally connected metro systems.
Session 7: Predictive vs Prescriptive Maintenance
Mr Manuj Singhal, Director Infrastructure, DMRC, and Mr Artur Sarrate, TMB, explored the evolution from condition monitoring and predictive maintenance towards more proactive and intelligent approaches to asset management and decision-making. The session combined DMRC’s practical initiatives with TMB’s international experience, illustrating how data and analytics can support more effective maintenance strategies while strengthening overall system performance.
Session 8: Operations Maintenance Intelligence Integration
Continuing the discussion, Mr Artur Sarrate, TMB, examined the integration of operations and maintenance intelligence, with particular focus on maintenance windows, service planning and service-first maintenance prioritisation. The session highlighted the importance of aligning maintenance decisions with service requirements, ensuring that asset management ultimately supports the continuity and quality of passenger services.
Technical Visit: Experiencing Automated Metro Operations
The second day concluded with an immersive technical visit to DMRC’s Unattended Train Operation (UTO) Depot and Operations Control Centre (OCC). Participants had the opportunity to experience the UTO system first-hand before visiting the OCC, gaining practical insight into the technologies, processes and operational practices supporting the safe, reliable and efficient management of one of India’s largest metro networks. The visit provided a valuable connection between knowledge and practice, allowing participants to see how automation, digital systems and operational decision-making converge within a live metro environment.
Day 3: Resilience, Global Lessons and the Roadmap Ahead
The final day turned towards resilience, disruption management and the strategic capabilities required to translate digital ambition into long-term operational value.
Session 9: Lessons from Global Metro Disruptions
Drawing on international experience, Mr Karel Mosselmans, STIB-MIVB, and Mr Artur Sarrate, TMB, presented case studies from Belgium and Spain, examining operational disruptions, organisational blind spots, institutional learning and the development of resilient metro systems. The session demonstrated that resilience extends beyond technical solutions, it requires organisations to learn, adapt and continuously strengthen their ability to respond to uncertainty.
Session 10: Managing Disruptions in Digital & Automated Metros
Mr Yogi Kapadia, TfL, explored approaches to service recovery and resource optimisation in digitally enabled and automated metro environments. His insights reinforced the importance of maintaining the right balance between people, processes and technology, particularly when responding to disruption and restoring services under challenging conditions.
UITP Session: Connecting Knowledge, Shaping the Future
The training also provided participants with a broader perspective on UITP’s initiatives. Ms Rupa Nandy and Mr Giuseppe Rizzi, Senior Manager – Rail Unit, Knowledge and Innovation, UITP, presented an overview of UITP, its Metro Division and ongoing initiatives, alongside insights into the evolving global public transport knowledge landscape, including the EU–UITP Nexus Project. The session highlighted the importance of international cooperation and knowledge exchange in accelerating innovation, sharing experience and strengthening the collective capabilities of the public transport sector.
Technical Visit: DMRC Academy
Mr Mahender Singh, Principal, DMRC Academy, introduced participants to the Academy’s initiatives and training capabilities. The technical visit offered an insight into the institutional infrastructure supporting the development of metro professionals and highlighted a critical dimension of digital transformation that technology can only deliver its full potential when supported by skilled people, strong institutions and a culture of continuous learning.
Session 11: Roadmap for Intelligent Metro Operations
The training programme concluded with Dr. Amit Kumar Jain, DMRC, who explored digital capability building and strategic roadmaps for intelligent metro operations. The session brought together the themes of the training, emphasising that the future of intelligent metro systems will depend not only on technological advancement, but on the ability of organisations to develop the capabilities, culture, leadership and strategic vision required to harness technology effectively.
From Learning to Action
The Valedictory Session, featuring the Closing Remarks from Mr S.K. Yadav, Senior Professor, DMRC Academy, marked the successful conclusion of three days of intensive learning, international exchange and professional dialogue. Across eleven sessions and two technical visits, the programme created a rich platform for participants to engage with global perspectives while examining their relevance through the lens of India’s urban rail environment. A clear message emerged throughout the training that the future of metro operations will not be defined by technology alone. It will be shaped by how effectively organisations integrate data, artificial intelligence, automation, cybersecurity, operational expertise and human capability.
As urban rail systems become increasingly complex and interconnected, the ability to anticipate change, respond to disruption and continuously improve performance will be fundamental to delivering resilient and passenger-centred mobility. For India, where urban rail continues to evolve at remarkable pace, strengthening these capabilities represents a strategic investment in the future of urban mobility.
For UITP, the training exemplifies the value of international knowledge exchange, bringing together expertise across borders, connecting global experience with local realities, and empowering the professionals who are shaping the next generation of public transport.