THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Odisha government have joined hands to develop an integrated and sustainable urban mobility framework for the Bhubaneswar-Katak-Puri-Paradip Economic Region (BKPPER), with a focus on transforming public bus services, strengthening institutional mechanisms and improving regional connectivity.

An inception workshop on the “Preparation of Sustainable Urban Mobility Transition Plans for Odisha” was organised by the Housing and Urban Development Department in collaboration with the ADB at Kharavela Bhawan here on Thursday.

The initiative seeks to prepare a comprehensive mobility framework for BKPPER covering regional mobility planning, transformation of public bus services and institutional strengthening for sustainable urban transport. The exercise is aligned with the long-term aspirations outlined in Odisha Vision 2036 and Vision 2047.

During the workshop, the ADB team presented key findings and recommendations from its Inception Report. Detailed discussions were held on the Comprehensive Regional Mobility Plan for BKPPER, the Bus Service Transformation Roadmap and the Draft Odisha Transit-Oriented Development Policy, with senior officials and stakeholders providing inputs.

Setting the context for the exercise, Housing and Urban Development Department Additional Chief Secretary Usha Padhee said the initiative should go beyond merely preparing a document and should result in an implementable framework developed through partnership among all stakeholders.

Sharing an experience from her early days in service in a remote part of Odisha, Padhee highlighted how inadequate mobility can limit people's access to essential services and economic opportunities.

 “Mobility is closely linked with access, productivity and quality of life. As Odisha enters a significant phase of urbanisation, we need forward-looking and coordinated planning,” she said.

 “Odisha is in a position where we can put the right systems in place as we move towards the next level of urbanisation,” Padhee said, stressing the opportunity to adopt sustainable mobility principles at an early stage and avoid legacy challenges associated with unplanned urban growth.

ADB Transport Sector Office Director Kanzo Nakai highlighted the close link between mobility, urban productivity and economic development.

Referring to an ADB study covering six major metropolitan cities, Nakai said commuters in some cities spend up to four hours a day travelling, leading to significant productivity losses.

He said Odisha's current stage of urbanisation offers an opportunity to avoid some of the car-centric development patterns and infrastructure challenges experienced by older metropolitan areas and move towards more sustainable and integrated mobility systems.

The workshop was attended by Transport Commissioner Amitav Thakur, Director, Municipal Administration, Arindam Dakua, CRUT Managing Director Md Siddique Alam, IDCO Managing Director D Prasant Reddy and BDA Vice-Chairman Chanchal Rana.

Senior officials from the Works Department, OSRTC, Police, IDCO and KDA, besides the Collectors of Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Puri and Khordha districts, also participated in the deliberations, with several stakeholders joining online.

From the ADB and consultant team, Senior Transport Advisor Saugata Dasgupta, Consultant Bankim Kalra, Consultant Zohra Mutabanna, Ankush Malhotra and Pritha Ghosh Chatterjee of SYSTRA, among others, participated in the workshop.

The deliberations are expected to contribute to the preparation of an integrated mobility transition framework aimed at promoting efficient, inclusive, connected and sustainable urban transport in Odisha, with BKPPER emerging as a key focus region.