Odisha plans Rs 300 crore command centre in Bhubaneswar for faster disaster response

Bhubaneswar: Though the last two post-monsoon cyclonic storms – Cyclone Ditwah and Cyclone Montha – spared Odisha, the state with more than 480km-long coastline along the Bay of Bengal has recorded around 400 cyclonic events, with 293 depressions and 107 cyclones impacting its economy and ecology, between 1890 and 2024.

To enhancing the capacity of disaster response teams and ensuring real-time monitoring of incidents across the state, the government has come up with a plan to construct a modern disaster management building worth Rs 300 crore in Bhubaneswar.

Revenue & Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari made the announcement on Saturday during his visit to the State Fire Service and Emergency Services Control Room in Bhubaneswar, where he reviewed the state’s readiness to tackle natural and man-made calamities.

The proposed facility, to be completed within two years, will unite key agencies–Fire Services, ODRAF, Forest Department, OSDMA, and other emergency services–under one roof for faster, coordinated response during cyclones, floods, heatwaves, lightning strikes, fires, and urban emergencies.

Pujari said that the hub will ensure synchronized operations, especially for high-rise firefighting and urban disaster preparedness. He also stressed seamless inter-departmental coordination to save lives and reduce damage.

Senior officials, including DG Fire Services Sudhanshu Sarangi and DIG Uma Sankar Das, also discussed plans to strengthen unified disaster response mechanisms during the meeting.