Odisha Expands Disaster Management Infrastructure With Surakshya Hostel

14 Aug 2026, 10:08 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

Odisha has expanded its institutional capacity for disaster preparedness with the inauguration of a new residential training facility at Gothapatna in Bhubaneswar, while laying the foundation for two more hostels aimed at supporting training, research and operational readiness.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari inaugurated the Disaster Management Training Hostel ‘Surakshya’ at the Revenue Officers’ Training Institute (ROTI) premises. The facility operates under the State Institute of Disaster Resilience (SIDR), which functions within the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA). Foundation stones were also laid for two proposed facilities, ‘Sajag’ and ‘Sankalp’.

The new hostel has 107 twin-sharing rooms, including 27 air-conditioned rooms, as well as seven dedicated guest rooms. A dining hall and other essential amenities have also been provided. The accommodation is intended for senior government officials, faculty members, experts and participants attending national and international training programmes, workshops and conferences organised at SIDR.

The facility will also house personnel of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), providing dedicated residential space for the force. This is expected to support continuous training and capacity building while helping maintain the force’s readiness for rapid disaster response.

The next phase of infrastructure at SIDR will include the proposed ‘Sajag’ and ‘Sankalp’ hostels. Both are planned with facilities such as conference halls, gymnasiums, dining halls and libraries, broadening the institute’s ability to accommodate training and capacity-building activities.

The development is part of Odisha’s longer effort to institutionalise disaster preparedness. Following the devastating Super Cyclone of 1999, OSDMA has progressively worked to strengthen the state’s systems for disaster preparedness and response. SIDR is being developed as a dedicated centre of excellence for advanced training, capacity building, research and knowledge exchange in disaster resilience.

Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil and senior OSDMA officials attended the programme.

With Surakshya now operational and the groundwork for Sajag and Sankalp underway, Odisha is adding residential and institutional capacity to its disaster-management training system, with facilities designed to support officials, specialists, trainees and the state’s frontline response personnel.