Bhubaneswar, June 11: A nine-member delegation from the Rajasthan Urban Drinking Water Sewerage and Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (RUIDP) visited Bhubaneswar and Puri as part of an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-supported exposure visit to study Odisha’s pioneering urban development initiatives and best practices in water supply, sanitation, and urban governance.

As part of the exposure visit, the team undertook extensive field inspections of key urban infrastructure projects in Bhubaneswar and Puri. The delegation also interacted with officials of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to gain first-hand insights into Odisha’s urban governance framework, sanitation management systems, service delivery mechanisms, and citizen-centric urban initiatives.

An interaction session was held at the Odisha Urban Academy with Usha Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary, Odisha Housing & Urban Development Department. During the session, Padhee presented a comprehensive overview of Odisha’s urban transformation journey and highlighted several innovative initiatives that have positioned the State as a national leader in urban reforms.

She elaborated on Odisha’s acclaimed 24x7 Drink from Tap Mission, which has emerged as a benchmark in urban water supply management by ensuring safe, equitable, and round-the-clock access to quality drinking water.

She also shared insights on the State’s achievements in sanitation and waste management, integrated urban planning, public transport modernization, technology-driven governance, and sustainable urban infrastructure development.

The RUIDP delegation appreciated Odisha’s remarkable achievements in urban service delivery and expressed keen interest in replicating several of the state’s successful models and best practices in Rajasthan. The visit served as a valuable platform for knowledge sharing, cross-learning, and strengthening inter-state collaboration in the urban development sector.

Among others, Additional Secretary cum Director OUA Suvendu Kumar Sahu & other officials of the Housing & Urban Development Department and the Odisha Urban Academy were present during the interaction.