Latest news with #SchoolofPlanningandArchitecture
Hans India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
MoS Tamta calls for innovation-led road planning to boost economic growth
New Delhi: Minister of State (MoS) for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta in a meeting with experts from IIT Delhi, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, and industry partners on Friday, emphasised that the future of India's infrastructure lies in innovation-led, safety-integrated, and context-sensitive road planning. He called for a paradigm shift from reactive construction to proactive, innovation-led planning, where road projects are no longer isolated engineering exercises, but integrated, multi-sectoral development tools. MoS Tamta highlighted that under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'Viksit Bharat 2047', infrastructure will play a defining role in making India a developed nation. "The Ministry is not just building roads, but shaping corridors that serve as engines of industrial growth, urban expansion, digital connectivity, and citizen well-being," he remarked MoS Tamta interacted with faculty and innovators from IIT Delhi and SPA Delhi, and the Minister stressed that these innovations not only improve safety but also tackle chronic issues in road projects such as land acquisition challenges, urban traffic congestion, poor last-mile connectivity, and cost overruns. The Minister emphasised the need to indigenise design models, rather than replicating from the West. India's unique geography, climate, behavioural patterns, and population density demand customised solutions, including integrated safety zones, mobility hubs, and mixed-use road corridors. The event showcased not only road safety solutions but also pioneering technologies, advanced planning frameworks, and low-cost, high-impact designs that can transform the way roads are conceived and constructed in India. The minister also reviewed multi-directional free traffic models, hotspot-based safety designs, and door-to-door mobility systems for low-cost, high-efficiency public transit using a no-app-no-URL ( PiFi - Private Internet Fidelity) based transport system suitable for rapid urban transportation. MoS Tamta advocated a governance model where physical plans are invited and evaluated transparently before DPR formulation, allowing a clear pathway to implementation. He reiterated that innovation must be the cornerstone of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' future planning strategy and highlighted the role of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) as incubators for such cross-disciplinary ideas. He applauded IIT Delhi and SPA Delhi for leading this movement and called upon other academic and industry institutions to join in this mission of nation-building through intelligent infrastructure.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Govt is not just building roads, but shaping corridors, says MoS Ajay Tamta, ET Infra
Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta held a meeting with faculty and industry partners at IIT Delhi and the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Delhi, to discuss innovation in road planning and infrastructure development Planning corridors, not just roads Advt Models, systems and governance By , ETInfra The session focused on technology-led approaches to improve road safety, planning processes, and project delivery. Discussions included frameworks for design, low-cost solutions, and tools that integrate road projects into broader development said infrastructure would play a key role in India's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. 'The Ministry is not just building roads, but shaping corridors that serve as engines of industrial growth, urban expansion , digital connectivity, and citizen well-being,' he called for a shift from reactive construction to proactive planning, stating that road projects should function as multi-sectoral development tools rather than isolated engineering the visit, the minister reviewed innovations addressing issues such as land acquisition, traffic congestion, last-mile connectivity, and cost overruns. He noted the importance of creating design models suited to Indian conditions, instead of relying on Western templates. This includes planning safety zones, mixed-use corridors, and mobility hubs aligned with local also reviewed various transport models , including hotspot-based safety systems and a no-app, no-URL (PiFi - Private Internet Fidelity) approach for door-to-door mobility. He said such models could support low-cost, efficient public transit in urban minister suggested a governance structure where physical plans are reviewed transparently before Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation, allowing clearer implementation also emphasised the role of Centres of Excellence as spaces for generating ideas and facilitating collaboration between academia, government, and industry.'IIT Delhi and SPA Delhi are contributing significantly, and I urge more institutions to participate in this mission to build intelligent infrastructure,' Tamta said.
India Today
21-06-2025
- General
- India Today
Changing the urban landscape School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada
SPA Vijayawada makes students ready for coming challenges. Partnering with governments and top institutes, its data-driven urban research, climate-resilient planning and studies in capacity development are shaping policy SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE, VIJAYAWADA (SPAV) No. 3 (2025) up from No. 9 (2020) Established in 2008, and inspired by the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, the School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada (SPAV) has grown as an institute of national importance, shaping architecture and planning professionals through world-class education, impactful research and ranked excellence. SPAV provides student-centric undergraduate, post-graduate and doctoral programmes supported by the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020, ensuring that every learner is mentored, engaged and future-ready. 'This has enabled SPAV to make significant contributions to the fields of built environment, design and sustainable development,' says its director, S. Ramesh. In its diverse range of academic programmes in architecture, planning, design and building engineering and management, SPAV emphasises on interdisciplinary learning and practical training, making it a destination of choice. A hallmark of SPAV academic profile is the AMRUT Centre for Urban Planning and Capacity Building (ACUPCB), established under the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA). It has positioned SPAV at the forefront of urban research, with an emphasis on climate-resilient planning, coastal vulnerability and capacity development. Through ACUPCB, SPAV conducts training programmes and supports municipal governance via planning tools and data infrastructure. It has hosted over nine capacity-building programmes on themes like coastal resilience, urban heat mitigation, natural resource management and environmental simulation. These programmes blend fieldwork, technical software training, stakeholder engagement and policy insights, empowering over 110 urban professionals across ministries, academia and municipalities. In addition to training, ACUPCB leads research projects across India. These address urban challenges such as low-emission zones, energy efficiency in bylaws, urban heat mitigation, flood resilience and transportation flows—providing data-backed solutions rooted in field realities. Projects are being carried out in Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Kakinada, Hyderabad, Machilipatnam, Tirupati and Vijayawada. SPAV has collaborated with institutions like IIT Roorkee, SPA New Delhi, NID Andhra Pradesh, National Remote Sensing Centre ISRO, Andhra Pradesh government departments and ASSOCHAM. These collaborations span areas like capacity-building, regional planning, green infrastructure, GIS (geographic information system)-based research and policy development. SPAV also does its bit for social advancement. Under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), it has adopted five villages in Krishna district—Savarigudem, Jakkulanekkalam, Kesarapalle, Ajjampudi and Buddavaram, supporting development planning and awareness drives.
New Indian Express
14-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Andhra Pradesh gears up for Swachh Survekshan Grameen with State-level workshop
VIJAYAWADA: A State-level workshop aimed at enhancing Andhra Pradesh's performance in Swachh Survekshan Grameen-2025 was held at the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) Auditorium in Vijayawada on Thursday. The workshop drew participation from ZP CEOs, Superintending Engineers, RWS officers, District Panchayat Officers, and sanitation consultants from across the state. Swachh Andhra Corporation Chairman Kommareddy Pattabhi Ram, addressing the gathering, said the survey would assess States on four key parameters—Service Level Progress, Direct Observation, Citizen Feedback, and Functionality of Assets. He stressed the need for coordinated efforts to improve AP's position, which ranked 12th from the bottom in the previous survey and had no district in the top 50. Blaming the previous YSRCP government for neglect of rural sanitation, Pattabhiram highlighted the renewed focus under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's leadership. He said the CM had declared the third Saturday of every month as 'Swarandhra–Swachh Andhra' Day to encourage public and official participation in sanitation activities. He announced that AP would be the first State to implement a circular economy policy and establish a dedicated recycling park to strengthen long-term waste management. Outstanding performance by officials and districts will be recognised by the Chief Minister, he added. Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Commissioner Krishna Teja and others also addressed the gathering.
Hindustan Times
06-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Urban Adda 2025: Aravalli collapse will cripple NCR's climate defences, warn experts
As bulldozers inch deeper into the Aravallis and unchecked urban sprawl carves away its ancient ridgelines, experts at Urban Adda 2025 issued a stark warning — the degradation of the Aravalli ecosystem could upend Delhi-NCR's fight against air pollution, water scarcity, and urban heat. Speaking at a panel co-hosted by GuruJal and the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Delhi, environmentalists called the Aravallis not just a green buffer but the region's last line of defence against environmental disaster. 'Creeks and groundwater recharge zones are vanishing,' said Dr Ranjana Ray Chaudhuri of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). 'This is not just biodiversity loss — it's a suicide pact with climate.' The warning is particularly relevant to Gurugram, where encroachments into the protected Aravalli range have intensified. Despite court orders and safeguards under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), large tracts of forest land have been carved up for illegal farmhouses, luxury villas and wedding venues in areas such as Raisina, Gwal Pahari, Sohna, Ghata, and Basai Mev. Entire hillsides have been flattened to make way for private estates, often registered as agricultural land on paper. Activists said the scale of tree-felling and topsoil stripping has triggered aquifer collapse, desertification, and a dramatic loss of native wildlife. Chetan Agarwal, forest analyst and senior fellow at CEDAR, said Delhi-NCR's next Master Plan must integrate natural conservation zones (NCZs) with legal mandates. 'We can't afford another planning document that ignores the ecological spine of this region. The Aravallis are not empty land for exploitation — they're living infrastructure essential for resilience.' Nidhi Madan of Raahgiri Foundation echoed the urgency, calling the destruction 'an irreversible ecological crime'. 'Cities must adapt to the geography they occupy — not bulldoze it. What's happening in the Aravallis is not growth, it is erasure,' she said. The panel called for an empowered Aravalli Conservation Taskforce to crack down on illegal construction, monitor deforestation, and prosecute offenders. They also pushed for a joint conservation pact between Haryana and Rajasthan, backed by the Supreme Court's central empowered committee (CEC), to conduct updated surveys and rehabilitate degraded zones. As Delhi-NCR grapples with rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and worsening air quality, the message at Urban Adda was unequivocal: saving the Aravallis is no longer optional — it's the survival strategy for the capital.
