HUD Dept Partners with IIT Kanpur for AI‑Driven Urban Governance in Odisha

The Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Airawat Research Foundation (ARF) at IIT Kanpur to usher in a new era of citizen‑centric urban governance.

The collaboration aims to unify fragmented urban data into a single digital platform, leveraging advanced technologies such as digital twins and predictive analytics.

This integrated system will enable proactive management of essential services, including water supply, traffic control, waste disposal, and air quality monitoring.

Officials emphasised that the initiative will transform city administration from a reactive model to a data‑driven, adaptive framework, where urban infrastructure functions like a “living organism” responding dynamically to residents’ needs.

While IIT Kanpur’s ARF will provide technical expertise, the HUD Department will oversee implementation across urban centres.

The partnership is expected to set a national benchmark for smart governance, positioning Odisha at the forefront of modernised urban management.