Civic managers from seven “mega cities” will meet in Calcutta on Friday for Best Practice Symposium, being funded by the US Agency for International Development.

“The symposium, organised by the Mega City Association, will act as a platform for the civic administrators to hold result-oriented talks on urban issues and policy changes,” said municipal commissioner Alapan Bandyopadhyay.

The Mega City Association was formed in May with civic representatives from Calcutta, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bangalore. It acts as a think tank, advising the civic authorities on urban renewal.

While the Calcutta Municipal Corporation will present papers on “land monetisation” (selling civic land at market rates to raise funds for facility upgrade) and setting up automated car parks, the Hyderabad civic body will speak about its experience on e-governance.

Ahmedabad’s paper will be on development of the riverfront and urban renewal, while the papers of Mumbai and Delhi will deal with solid waste management.

The first quarterly newsletter of the organisation will be released by mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya at the symposium.