Bhubaneswar as Capital turnes sixty three: Emerging centre of south eastern Megalopolis

As we celebrate our birthday a thousand year city will visualize sixty third years of its foundation as Capital City on 13^th April 2011. The present population of the city is hovering around million. Similarly the city is transforming from a Heritage & retired mans city into a Knowledge based society by attracting many educational institutions, information technology based industries and home to leading corporate houses. So as the city’s civic body transformed into Municipal Corporation from Notified area council in 1952 and introduced Police Commissioner System. The city has transformed itself many times to meet the changing needs of the society. Its time to look back how we moved to this point in history !!!!!!!!!

The Beginning

In 1948 first Prime Minster Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru laid down the foundation of new capital of Orissa, perhaps the first in Independent India. It was a German Dr. Otto. H. Koensiberger prepared the first Master plan with concept of neighborhood and gridiron pattern. The Master plan prepared covers an area of 16.48km² with a density if 10 to 12 families per acre for 40000 population.

Historically, Bhubaneswar has been influenced by three important religions in its growth Saivism; Buddhism (by king Ashoka) and Jainasim (during king Kharvela’s regime). The city of Bhubaneswar witnessed 261 BC Kalinga War that turned a great warier Ashoka into a peace lover king. Perhaps this city witnessed world’s first peace declaration written as Edicts of Ashoka at the banks of Daya (forgive) River after victory by King Ashoka in response to the Kalinga War. Historical significance assimilated these cultures and earned its name as “Secular City”.

It is believed around five thousand temples were once located in Bhubaneswar. Even today, hundreds of temples that still stand majestically as mute witnesses to its glorious past; one can study the chronological development of temple architecture from the start of the 7th Century AD to its culmination in 13^th Century AD. The area was ruled by several dynasties such as the Guptas, Mauryas and Suryas. Over a span of time, the city has been known by different names such as Kalinga Nagar, Tribhubaneswar, Temple City, Ekamra Kshetra and finally as Bhubaneswar. Bhubaneswar derived its name from the word “Tribhubaneswar” means the God of Universe (Lord Siva).

The Growth

Bhubaneswar was planned as an administrative town with a single nucleus – the Secretariat – and the city being planned as a grid around this central nucleus. The policy intervention for modern Bhubaneswar was for the purpose of Administrative Capital comprising of residential houses and government buildings. As a result the first plan restricted vertical and industrialized growth, which resulted in residential houses than commercial housing for almost three decades of inception. 

Around 1970 growth directions for non polluting industries, institution of national & regional importance were allowed outside core city adjunct to national highway corridors connecting Kolkata – Chennai. However, in 1961-71 Bhubaneswar crossed the forty thousand figures with a record growth of about 176.07 %, which was highest in the country during the period. The present population of the city is over a million with an area of 135 sq. km. giving it a population density of around 7000 persons per sq. km.

The City Planning

This city over the year followed a linear growth over radius leading to horizontal development. The initial growth of the city was fully new built up over a plateau of forests. The upland points were deforested for setting up new township covering 16.42sqkm. The major driver for the initial growth was the rural –urban migration since Bhubaneswar was the first major town, in the state, being developed ab initio sixty two years back. Thus as more people poured into the town, it kept expanding outwards. Availability of land in the suburban areas fueled this centrifugal growth. It has grown in a horizontal manner having various city centers within the city with clearly delineated groups around IT, education and others. The city is now more inclined towards a Multi Nuclei Concept of city planning within a large and expanding Bhubaneswar Development Plan area of 436 Sq Km with a projected population of 2 million by 2030.

The city plan was revisited many times over the year ensuring that it remains lively for all categories of people. It began with the Ebenezer Howard’s Garden city to François Perroux idea of economic Growth Poles in City Planning. The city integrated both concepts in its linear growth over radial. Allowing development of multi nodal growth of cities based on emerging activities i.e Chandrasekharpur as I.T. enabled services, Mancheswar as household industries etc.

The Emerging Centre of Megalopolis

Bhubaneswar is located in the eastern part of India with edge stretching to South Eastern India and past historical links with the countries of South East Asia. The towns of Puri, Cuttack and World Heritage Konark are all located within about 60 kms from Bhubaneswar –and all these places have been in existence for 1000 years or more. Perhaps if one travels from Hyderabad in south to Kolkata one will come across Bhubaneswar at the centre. In between located are some of the emerging cities within hours of distance i.e. Kharagpur, Baleswar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda, Berhampur, Vishakpatnam. All of these cities are either attracting big investments or in pipelines. This is perhaps the emerging Megalopolis of eastern India in days to come.

The City Shining by Surprise

The city has emerged as hub of industries, education and tourist destination for many. In recent studies of World Bank ranked Bhubaneswar as 3^rd best city in India to do business 2009, Confederation of Indian Industries identified within 37 most livable cities of India and Morgan Stanley recorded emerging market. This all compliments progress that Bhubaneswar has made in last one decade emerging from a disastrous to progressive city of this part of the world.

The biggest assets of this city its heritage, culture and unique style of growth will take into a new height in days to come. The challenge is how the youths and old joins their voice in engaging themselves with modern city planning and multi level institutions each one its own leadership!!!!!!!!!!!