Odisha partners IIT Bhubaneswar, Development Alternatives to drive sustainable urban development

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has joined hands with IIT Bhubaneswar and Development Alternatives to establish a Centre of Excellence on Low Carbon Construction Materials and Sustainable Development, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at promoting sustainable construction technologies and climate-resilient urban planning across the state.

The tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), facilitated by the Housing & Urban Development Department, was signed on Friday by Odisha Urban Academy (OUA) Director Suvendu Sahu, Professor Dinakar Pasla of IIT Bhubaneswar and Development Alternatives CEO Shashtant Patara. The signing took place in the presence of Housing & Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra and Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Mahapatra said the Centre of Excellence would serve as a platform for research, innovation and policy support to help Odisha build environmentally sustainable and future-ready cities. He said the initiative complements the state’s development roadmap for Viksit Odisha 2036 while contributing to the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

The Centre’s first assignment will be to develop a comprehensive roadmap for Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management in the urban cluster comprising Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Khordha, Jatni and Pipili. The project will include scientific assessment of waste generation, preparation of an integrated management strategy, promotion of sustainable construction technologies, institutional capacity building and preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR). Officials said the model could later be replicated in other urban centres across Odisha.

As part of the collaboration, IIT Bhubaneswar will provide research and technical expertise, Development Alternatives will support implementation and technology adoption, while the Odisha Urban Academy will focus on policy development, capacity building and knowledge sharing with Urban Local Bodies.

Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee said addressing emerging urban challenges requires strong partnerships between government, academia and development organisations. She stressed that scientific planning and sustainable infrastructure would be essential for creating resilient and resource-efficient cities.

Officials said the Centre of Excellence will gradually expand its work beyond low-carbon construction materials to include areas such as urban air quality, solid waste management, water quality assessment and other sustainability-related initiatives, strengthening Odisha’s efforts to build greener and more climate-resilient urban spaces.