Patna: The Bihar govt has entered into an agreement with the CEPT Advisory Foundation (CAF), Ahmedabad, to set up a Technical Support Unit (TSU) aimed at giving a more structured and future-oriented approach to urban development in the state.The agreement was signed in the presence of urban development and housing minister Nitish Mishra and department’s principal secretary Vinay Kumar. Nawal Kishore Chaudhary, special secretary-cum-chief executive officer of the Bihar Urban Development Authority, and Darshan Parikh, director of the CAF, signed the agreement on behalf of the two organisations.The technical partnership will primarily support the proposed greenfield satellite townships in Bihar. Under the arrangement, CAF will provide expertise in modern urban planning, spatial development, policy formulation, land-use planning, infrastructure development and long-term urban growth strategies.Mishra said the collaboration was aimed at ensuring that new urban areas were developed in line with future requirements and with a focus on sustainability and planned growth. He said the initiative was in line with chief minister Samrat Choudhary’s vision of a developed and prosperous Bihar.The minister said the TSU would provide the department with technical support for data-driven and scientific urban planning. The expertise would help shape greenfield satellite townships with improved connectivity, modern infrastructure, environmental sustainability and citizen-focused amenities, he added.The initiative is expected to provide a technical framework for the development of modern urban settlements and help Bihar move towards more organised, sustainable and future-ready urban growth.
