Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for the new campus of the National Institute of Urban Management (NIUM) at Bharat Future City, marking a major step towards establishing a national centre for urban governance, research and capacity building in Telangana.
Spread across 20 acres and estimated to cost around ₹200 crore, the campus will be developed on land allotted free of cost by the government. The Chief Minister directed officials, including Municipal Administration & Urban Development secretary and DG-NIUM T.K. Sreedevi, to complete the project by June 2, 2028, coinciding with Telangana Formation Day, said an official release.
The NIUM was chosen through a national competition under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) in 2009 with the Centre sanctioning ₹50 crore, subject to the State government providing land. However, the condition remained unmet for more than a decade before the present government allotted the required land at Bharat Future City.
Designed by Sanjay Puri Architects, the proposed campus will follow a net-zero and environmentally sustainable model with nearly two-thirds of the site will remain green and open, while buildings will be integrated with the natural terrain.
Rooftop solar power generation, 100% solar water heating, rainwater harvesting, treated wastewater reuse, and the use of low-carbon construction materials are the major features of the proposed new buildings. The design also incorporates passive cooling measures such as earth-sheltered structures, jali screens, deep overhangs and natural cross-ventilation.
The campus will house six specialised action-research centres focusing on urban governance and financing, infrastructure, socio-economic development, urban mobility, climate mitigation and adaptation, and innovation incubation. It will also include a learning and capacity-building centre for municipal commissioners, officials and elected representatives.
An Urban Living Street and prototype testing corridor will allow urban solutions to be tested before large-scale implementation in cities. Residential facilities comprising 122 housing units will be provided for trainees, fellows and visiting experts.
Established in 2013, NIUM serves as Telangana’s urban think tank. The institute has trained more than 6,000 elected representatives and officials and played a key role in preparing master plans, waste-management projects and digital governance initiatives across urban local bodies.
Published - October 21, 2026 07:28 pm IST