Building people-centred smart city

ARINDAM GANGULY, OP

Bhubaneswar: As the world marks World Cities Day 2025 Friday (October 31) with the theme “People-Centred Smart Cities,” Bhubaneswar aspires to stand out as a model where rapid urban growth, innovation, and tradition coexist through foresight and inclusivity.

Experts stress sustainable, citizen-focused growth for a resilient Bhubaneswar. Architect and infrastructure consultant Gautam Kumar Agrawal highlighted Bhubaneswar’s remarkable transformation over the past decade. “Bhubaneswar has grown manyfold in the last ten years. This growth represents more than physical expansion—it’s a redefinition of the city’s identity, blending historical and cultural richness with a modern urban spirit,” he said. Agrawal noted that Bhubaneswar’s real challenge lies in long-term planning, saying, “A city’s progress is measured not by its speed of growth, but by how well it plans for tomorrow,” he said.

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Chanchal Rana acknowledged that the city’s rapid population growth is both a sign of progress and a major governance challenge. “More than 50 per cent of Odisha’s urban population now resides in Bhubaneswar. Urban challenges and aspirations have increased significantly,” Rana said. To address growing needs, Bhubaneswar blends technology with inclusion. The Jaga Mission provides housing for slum dwellers, Smart City projects enhance connectivity and traffic systems, and the Ekamra Heritage Project preserves historic sites.

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Sustainability remains key, focusing on Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR) practices and better wastewater management. Urban planner Piyush Ranjan Rout cautioned that unchecked expansion, such as the New Bhubaneswar Project, could lead to ecological and financial stress. “Expanding the city without addressing core issues is like buying larger pants instead of tackling obesity—it strains both infrastructure and finances,” he remarked.

Rout urged a shift toward sustainable urban regeneration over greenfield expansion, advocating models like the 15-minute city, vertical urbanism, and circular economy to boost livability while conserving natural resources. Abhaya Mohanta, who works for persons with disabilities through his organisation We4You, emphasised that a truly smart city must serve all citizens. “We need accessible transport, roads, workplaces, and public spaces. Inclusive policies ensure everyone can participate in city life,” he said.

Social expert Saroj Barik echoed this view, stressing the need to support slum dwellers, street vendors, unorganised labourers, and migrant workers through targeted investments, simplified governance, and citizen-centric services. Social activist Sudarshan Chhotray said urban development must prioritise children, urging Bhubaneswar to balance tradition with modernity and improve health, sanitation, housing, transport, and child-friendly spaces.