THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, JUNE 2, 2026

The Odisha Chapter of the Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI) has proposed a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen the state’s urban planning ecosystem, underscoring the urgent need for large-scale recruitment of professional town planners and key institutional reforms to support Odisha’s rapidly expanding urban landscape.

The recommendations were presented during a high-level consultation chaired by Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, at Kharabela Bhawan. The meeting was attended by Usha Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department; Satrughna Kar, Director, Town Planning; representatives of the ITPI Odisha Chapter; and senior departmental officials.

Presenting its vision for Odisha’s urban future, ITPI highlighted that the state’s urban population is projected to rise sharply from around 17 per cent in 2025 to nearly 60 per cent by 2047. As Odisha aims to transform its cities into major economic growth engines contributing more than 60 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), the institution stressed that scientific, professional and forward-looking urban planning must become a cornerstone of development.

ITPI pointed to a severe shortage of qualified town planners in the state. Based on planning norms recommended by NITI Aayog, Odisha requires nearly 470 town planners to effectively manage urban growth. However, only about 20 planners are currently serving across various state agencies and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), leaving a deficit of nearly 450 professionals.

The situation is particularly acute within the Directorate of Town Planning, where all sanctioned planning posts remain vacant. Several Development Authorities operate without dedicated town planners, while many ULBs continue to depend on temporary contractual arrangements for building plan approvals and statutory planning functions.

Emphasising the multidisciplinary nature of urban planning, ITPI noted that the profession encompasses land-use planning, infrastructure development, housing, transportation, environmental management, economic development and social inclusion. Professional planners play a vital role in preparing and updating Master Plans, implementing Town Planning Schemes through land pooling mechanisms, promoting affordable housing, revitalising older urban areas through redevelopment initiatives, and streamlining building approval systems to improve Ease of Doing Business (EoDB).

To bridge the existing human resource gap, ITPI proposed the deployment of 470 town planners across urban development institutions, including the Directorate of Town Planning, Development Authorities, the Directorate of Municipal Administration, SUDA, DUDA and other key departments and parastatal agencies involved in urban infrastructure and regional development.

The meeting also highlighted Odisha’s growing pool of planning professionals. Since the introduction of Bachelor of Planning (B.Plan) and Master of Planning (M.Plan) programmes at Odisha University of Technology and Research (OUTR) in 2015, the state has produced a significant number of qualified planning graduates. Additional professionals from premier institutions such as the IITs, Schools of Planning and Architecture (SPAs), and CEPT University are also available to contribute to Odisha’s urban transformation.

To effectively utilise this talent pool and support flagship initiatives such as the Cabinet-approved Samrudha Sahar programme, ITPI recommended the immediate recruitment of Assistant Town Planners across key urban institutions. It also proposed the creation of a dedicated Odisha Town Planning Service (OTPS) cadre on the lines of other professional state services and called for stakeholder consultations to formulate uniform recruitment rules and service conditions for planning professionals.

Appreciating the detailed presentation, Dr. Mahapatra emphasised the importance of strengthening professional planning capacity to ensure sustainable, inclusive and well-managed urban growth across Odisha. He noted that robust urban planning frameworks would be critical to achieving the state’s long-term vision of creating globally competitive, liveable and economically vibrant cities.

The meeting concluded with a consensus on the need for continued collaboration among government departments, planning professionals and academic institutions to build a future-ready urban planning system capable of supporting Odisha’s ambitious development goals.