By Imteshal Karim
In a major urban planning move the Odisha government is mulling the development of a 426-acre lsquoNew Cuttack City along the banks of the Mahanadi River as part of a broader strategy to transform the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip Economic Region BCPPER into a globally competitive urban-industrial corridor.
Planned on reclaimed waterfront land New Cuttack is envisioned as a smart city and ecological hub blending modern urban infrastructure with environmental sustainability according to reports on BCPPER from last month.
The project is slated to feature a world-class eco-park research and rejuvenation centres sports facilities and tourism infrastructure designed to attract investment talent and visitors from across India and beyond.
Riverfront Smart City with Green and Knowledge Focus
Unlike conventional city expansions New Cuttack aims to be a future-forward integrated urban zone.
Inspired by models like GIFT City in Gujarat the city will cater to emerging sectors such as health and wellness eco-tourism sports science and advanced research while also offering public recreational spaces for residents of Cuttack and the larger region.
With ecological resilience and aesthetic planning at its core the development will serve as a flagship for sustainable urbanism in Odisha. According to the statersquos Vision 2036 and 2047 blueprint the area will also include smart mobility corridors open green spaces and walkable waterfront promenades.
Part of the $500 Billion Vision for Coastal Odisha
The New Cuttack project is a critical component of the Odisha Vision 2036 which aims to scale up the regions economy from $22 billion to $500 billion.
As part of this transformation the government has committed to robust urbanisation and infrastructure development across the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip belt.
BCPPER is being structured as a unified regional economic hub focusing on industrial expansion medical tourism logistics and skilled services. Major projects under this vision include a 2500-acre aerotropolis in Puri a 200-acre medi-city in Cuttack and a 5000-acre industrial township between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.