Odisha is standing on the edge of a massive urban revolution. Experts predict that the state’s urban population will skyrocket from around 17% to nearly 60% by the year 2047. To support this rapid expansion and transform cities into major economic growth hubs, the Odisha Chapter of the Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI) has proposed a major revamp of the state’s urban planning system.
The comprehensive framework was presented during a high-level meeting chaired by Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, the Minister of Housing & Urban Development. The discussion focused on a critical issue: the severe shortage of qualified town planners in Odisha.
A Massive Shortage of Urban Experts
According to national guidelines recommended by NITI Aayog, a rapidly developing state like Odisha requires nearly 470 professional town planners to systematically design and manage its growing cities. Shockingly, only about 20 planners are currently working across various state agencies and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
This leaves a dangerous gap of approximately 450 vacant positions. Currently, the Directorate of Town Planning has zero permanent planners, forcing many local municipal bodies to rely on temporary contractual staff for crucial tasks like approving building maps and designing structural layouts.
Why Professional Town Planning Matters
Urban planning is not just about drawing lines on a map; it is a highly specialized field that handles roads, water systems, public housing, transportation, and environmental safety.
Qualified planners are essential for creating sustainable master plans, executing smart land-pooling schemes, building affordable housing, and speeding up construction approvals to boost the state’s “Ease of Doing Business” rankings. Without them, cities risk growing into chaotic, crowded spaces prone to traffic jams and flooding.
The Roadmap: Creating a New State Cadre
To fix this deficit, ITPI has suggested a structured deployment of 470 town planners across departments like the Directorate of Municipal Administration, SUDA, and DUDA. Interestingly, Odisha doesn’t need to look outside for talent. Since 2015, institutions like the Odisha University of Technology and Research (OUTR) have been producing high-quality planning graduates, supplemented by Odia professionals graduating from premier national bodies like the IITs and SPAs.
To recruit this local talent effectively, ITPI has recommended the immediate hiring of Assistant Town Planners and the creation of a dedicated Odisha Town Planning Service (OTPS) cadre. This formal service will help streamline state-run flagship projects like the Samrudha Sahar programme. Minister Mahapatra highly appreciated the plan, agreeing that a future-ready planning system is absolutely vital to making Odisha’s cities globally competitive, livable, and vibrant.
