Resilient communities: SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

3Resilient communities

In a region exposed to earthquakes, floods and landslides, UPES builds safety into its campus and trains the professionals who keep communities safe.

UPES builds safety into its own campus and trains the professionals who keep Himalayan communities safe from disasters.

250CCTV cameras feeding a 24-hour control room

2022Safety and Disaster Management Cluster set up

16schools and communities reached by Project Swachhata

Seismic-resistant design, slope stabilisation and regular evacuation drills protect students and staff.
Degree programmes in disaster management and health, safety and environment train future experts.
Himalaya Calling 2025 brought experts together on disaster resilience for mountain communities.

Round-the-clock safety. About 250 CCTV cameras feed a central control room staffed 24 hours a day, alongside a Control and Emergency Response Centre, a fire hydrant network with automatic detection, and access control at the gates.
A safe campus. Seismic-resistant design, slope stabilisation and drainage protect buildings, while regular fire and earthquake evacuation drills, alarms, sprinklers and assembly points prepare students and staff. The campus medical team coordinates disaster-management drills.
Experts for disaster risk. UPES offers an M.Tech in Disaster Management and B.Tech and MBA programmes in fire, safety and health, safety and environment management.
Safe, Resilient and Sustainable Cities. The Safety and Disaster Management Cluster, set up in 2022, runs training in first aid, fire safety and emergency response, and held a symposium on safe, resilient and sustainable cities in October 2022.
Technology for the Himalaya. At Himalaya Calling 2025, UPES hosted researchers, entrepreneurs and policy thinkers on disaster management, climate-resilient technology and infrastructure for mountain communities. A panel on strengthening disaster resilience in the Himalaya brought together experts including Prof Ajay Gairola and Piyoosh Rautela.
Cleaner neighbourhoods. Through Project Swachhata, students and staff ran cleanliness and waste segregation campaigns that reached 16 government schools and community areas in 2022–23.