Odisha Govt Initiates Strategic Urban Development Plan for Baripada

Bhubaneswar: In a decisive push toward structured urban development in northern Odisha, the state government has initiated the preparation of a Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for Baripada town. A high-level meeting convened at Lok Seva Bhawan today marked the beginning of this strategic effort. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Government of Odisha.

Baripada, a culturally and economically significant town in Mayurbhanj district, is now poised to undergo transformative urban planning. Setting the agenda for the discussions, Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Department, stressed the urgent need for a structured Master Plan for Baripada. She highlighted the town’s growing population and evolving infrastructure demands and called for inter-departmental coordination to ensure a holistic and sustainable approach to urbanization.

A major outcome of the meeting was the decision to constitute a Joint Technical Committee comprising representatives from key stakeholder departments. This committee will oversee the preparation of the Master Plan and take charge of data collection, spatial mapping, infrastructure planning, and alignment with the broader goals of regional development.

The meeting was attended by top officials from the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, the Indian Railways, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), urban planning experts, and the Collector and District Magistrate of Mayurbhanj. Their discussions addressed the pressing need for comprehensive land use planning to meet future population growth, improvement in urban mobility and transport connectivity with highways and rail networks, and the development of core infrastructure such as water supply, drainage, solid waste management, and affordable housing. The need to preserve Baripada’s rich socio-cultural heritage while ensuring eco-sensitive zoning was also emphasized.

Integration of this initiative with ongoing state-level urban programmes under the Vision 2036 framework was also discussed in detail. Minister Dr. Mahapatra underlined the importance of aligning the CDP with the aspirations of the people of Baripada. He called for a time-bound action plan and stressed the importance of transparency and public participation in every stage of the planning process.