Bhubaneswar to host 84th Indian Road Congress; Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to attend event

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, is scheduled to visit Odisha to participate in the 84th annual Indian Road Congress (IRC) from November 7 to 10 at the Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar.

The four-day event will bring together nearly 2,000 IRC representatives from across India, along with several VVIPs, senior officials, and distinguished experts from the road and transport sector.

Large-Scale Participation and Expert Discussions

A total of 3,500 engineers and chief engineers from different states are expected to attend the event. Nitin Gadkari, who traditionally inaugurates each session of the Indian Road Congress, will address participants and highlight government initiatives on road development, safety, and technological innovation.

The congress will provide a platform for deliberations on adopting advanced road-building technologies to enhance infrastructure efficiency and public benefit nationwide.

"3,500 engineers and chief engineers from various states will be invited. Among the dignitaries, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, is expected to grace the event as per the programme information received so far,” said Prithviraj Harichandan, Odisha’s Minister of Law, Works, and Excise.

“The event will showcase new and sustainable technologies, and talks will be held on implementing these technologies in active road building across the nation,” he added.

Eminent academicians and professors from leading institutions such as IIT Bhubaneswar and NIT Rourkela will present case studies highlighting current initiatives, project successes, and road safety improvements.

Participants will also be requested to submit papers documenting their expertise in IRC codes and best practices, contributing to the knowledge repository of the national road sector.

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Odisha Hosts IRC for Sixth Time

Notably, the event would mark the sixth time that Odisha will host the IRC annual congress, following successful events in 1954, 1982, 1994, 2005, and 2015.

According to sources, the state has established 18 committees to manage the proceedings of the congress efficiently. To accommodate participants from outside the state, the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) has earmarked 900 hotel rooms in Bhubaneswar, with an additional 150 rooms reserved for VVIPs, senior IRC officials, and distinguished guests in nearby hotels.

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