Bhubaneswar: In a major push for climate-resilient and sustainable urban development, the state government Saturday signed a landmark tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for low-carbon construction materials and sustainable urban development. The initiative aims to drive research, innovation and capacity building while accelerating the adoption of sustainable construction practices to help realise the state’s vision of cleaner, greener and future-ready cities.
The MoU was signed by the Odisha Urban Academy (OUA), IIT-Bhubaneswar and Development Alternatives. OUA Director Suvendu Sahu, Prof Dinakar Pasla of the School of Infrastructure, IIT-Bhubaneswar, and Development Alternatives CEO Shrashtant Patara signed the agreement in the presence of Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra and senior departmental officials. Speaking on the occasion, Mahapatra said urban development must go beyond creating physical infrastructure and focus on improving the quality of life through environmentally responsible planning, quality public infrastructure and efficient civic services.
Describing the CoE as a transformative initiative, the minister said it would serve as a knowledge and innovation hub to advance sustainable urban development across the state. He said the Centre would initially focus on low-carbon construction materials and Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management.
Its scope would subsequently be expanded to key areas such as urban air quality monitoring, solid waste management, water quality assessment and other sustainability-related interventions. Mahapatra expressed confidence that the CoE would play a pivotal role in Odisha’s transition towards climate-resilient, environmentally sustainable and future-ready urban development, while developing replicable models for cities across the state.
As its first major initiative, the CoE will prepare a comprehensive roadmap for C&D waste management for the rapidly urbanising cluster of Bhubaneswar, Kataka, Khordha, Jatni and Pipili. The project will undertake a scientific assessment of construction and demolition waste generation, formulate an integrated waste management strategy, promote innovative technologies, strengthen institutional capacity and prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR).
The framework developed under the initiative is expected to emerge as a scalable model for implementation in other urban centres across Odisha. The partnership will leverage the complementary strengths of the three institutions. IIT-Bhubaneswar will provide research support, technical expertise and technological innovation, while Development Alternatives will facilitate implementation and promote sustainable construction technologies.
The OUA will spearhead capacity building, policy support and knowledge dissemination among urban local bodies (ULBs) and other stakeholders. Department’s Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee stressed the need for strong institutional collaboration to tackle emerging urban challenges.
