The State would host the 75th Indian Road Congress, the national body of highway engineers, at the Janata Maidan here from January 18 to 22. It was revealed at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary GC Pati at the State Secretariat on Wednesday. The Chief Secretary asked the officials to arrange adequate security arrangements for the visiting engineers and their family members. As many as 4,000 delegates would attend this five-day event.
Development Commissioner UN Behera, Home Secretary CJ Venugopal, Textile and Handloom Secretary Chitra Arumugam, Works Secretary Nalini Kant Pradhan, Police Commissioner, RP Sharma and senior officers from respective departments participated in the discussion. Tourism, Textile and Handloom Departments have been ask to put up stalls to showcase their products during the event. According to the schedule, around six technical sessions, one business session and one council meeting would be organised during these five days.
Subjects like road safety, use of fly ash and waste materials in road construction, road planning designs, mitigation of permanent trouble spots on roads, road research, modern technologies for non-destructive pavement, assessment of Odisha PWD roads using network survey vehicle, cable stayed and suspension bridge, SDA technologies in steel bridge construction and advanced traveler information systems have been slated for deliberation in technical sessions. Departments like Odisha Police, BMC, Fire Service, Housing and Urban Development, Tourism and Culture and Handloom and Textiles have been directed to provide all necessary assistance for smooth conduct of the event.