Gangtok, Mar 25: The Urban Development Department (UDD), Government of Sikkim, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) to advance climate-resilient urban planning in the state.
The MoU was signed by Shri Jitendra Singh Raje, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, UDD, and Dr. Jai Asundi, Executive Director, CSTEP. Officials present included Shri Dinker Gurung, Chief Town Planner, and Ms Basundhara Karki, Assistant Town Planner from UDD, along with Dr. Indu K. Murthy, Dr. Manish Kumar, Dr. Ashutosh Pati, and Mahesh Kalshetty from CSTEP.
Under the agreement, the two organisations will collaborate on climate-smart urban planning and risk-informed development, with a focus on hill towns, particularly the Namchi–Jorethang region. The partnership will include high-resolution multi-hazard risk assessments for floods, heat, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), and landslides.
CSTEP’s Adaptation and Risk Analysis (ARA) Group will support risk assessment, adaptation planning, and implementation tracking. The initiative will develop strategies to protect hill towns from climate-induced hazards and co-design blue-green infrastructure and ecosystem-based adaptation measures. A Digital Decision Support System (DSS) tool and dashboard will also be created to aid integrated climate risk planning and governance, incorporating cost-benefit analysis. Training for State and Urban Local Body (ULB) officials will form a key part of the programme.
The MoU aligns with the GIS-based Master Plan for the Namchi Planning Area under AMRUT 2.0 and complements the Department’s engagement under the National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management Alliance (NFSSM Alliance). Non-financial and non-binding, the agreement is valid for three years and aims to enhance technical capacity in climate risk mapping, digital planning tools, and institutional preparedness.
This partnership is part of Sikkim’s broader vision under the “Strategic Urban Vision Document: SK-UD-2047 for Sunaulo and Samridh Sikkim,” which prioritises climate-responsive and sustainable urban development.
