De-carbonization and Environmental Planning Roadmap for Rourkela Steel City

Abstract

Rourkela, a tier-II steel township in eastern India is the industrial capital of the state of Odisha. Apart from being home to the oldest integrated steel plant of the country, the city is home to two major universities and a private airport belonging to the Steel Authority soon to be upgraded to a domestic airport. The opening of the airport is likely to improve employment opportunities increasing population growth along with increased travel and housing demands. Also the city has pledged to reduce 30% of its emissions in the UN Energy Compact by 2030. The current Comprehensive Development Plan for 2031 was drafted before the airport up-gradation plan and the city level de-carbonization pledge. Hence our current study is aimed at analysing the impact of the upcoming airport oriented development, identifying strategies in the building sector and exploring scenarios in the transport sector towards decarbonisation pledge put forward by the city. The study also outlines an environmental planning roadmap in the city level considering the gap areas identified in the existing comprehensive development plan