New Delhi: The State of Odisha demonstrated its growing prowess in infrastructure development by securing a total of 17 awards across various categories at the 17th Vishwakarma Awards.
The event, organized by the Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), was held at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari attended the ceremony as the chief guest. During his address, he emphasized the critical need for innovation in the construction sector. He urged stakeholders to adopt new expertise in road and building construction while focusing on creating high-quality Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) to ensure sustainable development.
Department of Works, Odisha received recognition for three major projects: the Lokayukta Bhawan, the Mother and Child Hospital in Jajpur, and the recently completed Cancer Hospital in Balangir.
Ace Administrator and Former IIPA Director General, Shri Surendra Nath Tripathy presented the Award and Chief Construction Engineer Shri Manoj Mahananda accepted the awards on behalf of the Department Of Works, Odisha.
A 1985 Batch IAS, Shri Tripathy has served Infrastructure Sector in Odisha extensively and contributed a lot for the State during his tenure in this Eastern State of India.
In the water resources sector, five projects were honored, including the Gangadhar Meher Project, Purunagarh Mega Lift, Bhanjanagar Dam, Mahabarida Anicut, and the Lower Suktel Project. Engineer-in-Chief Lingaraj Gouda received these accolades.
The state’s sports and administrative infrastructure also gained spotlight. Dhirendra Kumar Pattnaik of the Sports Department accepted awards for the Shuttle and Aquatic buildings located at Kalinga Stadium.
Additionally, the Odisha State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation was recognized for the modern hostel building at the Gopabandhu Academy of Administration, with the award received by Chief Engineers Narmada Behera and Srikant Samal.
Other notable winners from the state included the IIM Sambalpur campus, represented by NBCC official Chinmoy Ghosh, and AIIMS Bhubaneswar, represented by Director Dr. Biswas.
Awards were also presented for the Reserve Bank of India’s new data center in Bhubaneswar and a National Highway project in Koraput.
The event also featured the launch of a book on Lean Construction techniques authored by Shri Manoranjan Mishra, the former Engineer-in-Chief of the Works Department.
Individual contributions to the field were celebrated as well, with renowned engineer Shri Ashok Basa and architect Shri Taraprasad Dhal receiving honors for their lifelong dedication to the industry.
A dedicated exhibition showcasing Odisha’s award-winning projects was a major highlight of the ceremony, drawing significant praise from attendees for the state’s commitment to modern and efficient infrastructure.