VNIT Nagpur Departrnent of Architecture And Planning Engineering

Dr. Pankaj Verma

Assistant Professor

Educational Details

Certificate Course (ISRO Sponsored)

Application of Remote Sensing and GIS in Urban and Regional Studies

IIRS – ISRO, Dehradun

May-July 2024

Ph. D

 Planning (Title - ‘Planning for Smart City – Dehradun’)

Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

2017-2020

M.U.R. P

Urban and Rural Planning

Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

2011-2013

B. Arch

Bachelor of Architecture

Uttarakhand Technical University (UTU)

2006-2011

Brief Bio

Dr. Pankaj is an Architect Planner, working as an Assistant Professor (since 2022) at the Department of Architecture and Planning, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur. He has pursued his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) – Roorkee (2020), where he extensively worked on the planning for Smart City. He post-graduated (MURP – master’s in urban and Rural Planning) from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) – Roorkee (2013) and graduated with a specialization in Architecture from Uttarakhand Technical University (UTU), Dehradun (2012). In addition to good academic standing, he has more than 12 years of experience in academics and research at various Institutes of Nation Importance such as SPA Vijayawada and NIT Hamirpur. He has published various research papers on various platforms, i.e., international journals, national and international conferences/s (reputed), and authored various book chapters. He has guided various undergraduate and postgraduate thesis and is currently guiding two Ph.D. thesis. His research interests are in the field of Urban and Rural Dynamics, policy planning, strategic planning, computer modeling, and simulation of cities.

Contact Information

Email: drpankaj@arc.vnit.ac.in
Office : (+91-712-)2802330

Urban Planning, Rural Planning, Development Planning, Smart City Planning, Urban Dynamics, Rural Dynamics, Urban Complexity, Sustainable Architecture

July, 2022

–

Till date

 

Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT – Nagpur

July 2021

–

June 2022

 

Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, Planning and Design, DIT University – Dehradun

February 2021

–

July 2021

 

Department of Architecture, Assistant Professor (Contract), NIT – Hamirpur

October 2020

–

February 2021

 

Assistant Professor (Contract), Department of Planning, SPA -Vijayawada

July 2013

–

December 2016

 

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Architecture,

DIT University – Dehradun

  • Rajeev Garg, Pankaj, Akhilesh Kumar, Tahsinur Rahman Warsi, Mohammad Arif Kamal (2023). User Experience and Expectations of Streetscape: A Planning Framework for Urban Streets in India. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 11(3), 1480 – 1486. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2023.110329.
  •  Rajeev Garg, Akhilesh Kumar, Pankaj, Mohammad Arif Kamal (2022). Determining Water Footprint of Buildings During Construction Phase: An Activity-based Approach. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 11(2), 773 – 783. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2023.110218.
  • Pankaj, “Transformation of Traditional Rural Houses of Uttarakhand Hilly Region”, International Journal of Multidisciplinary Educational Research (IJMER), Vol. 9, no. 11, pp 199-205, 2020.
  • Pankaj, Pant A., “Rural Tourism a Solution for Ghost Villages of Uttarakhand”, International Journal of New Technology and Research, vol. 2, no. 6, Jun. 2016. pp 52-60, 2016.

Research Papers Published in Conference as a Book chapter

  • Wankhede, A., Verma, P., Tejendra, N. (2025). A Review of Land Management Policies and Practices in India. In: Aleksandar, A., Panidi, E., Buckley, A.O. (eds) A Pathway to Sustainable Landscapes. GGT 2024. Sustainable Landscape Planning and Natural Resources Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-81288-0_2
  • Tejendra, N., Verma, P., Vivek, S., Poojary, S. (2025). Assessing the Usability of Outdoor Gyms for Women in Mangalore’s Urban Public Parks, India. In: Aleksandar, A., Panidi, E., Buckley, A.O. (eds) A Pathway to Sustainable Landscapes. GGT 2024. Sustainable Landscape Planning and Natural Resources Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-81288-0_9
  • Garg, R., Pankaj, Kumar, A., Brar, T.S., Kamal, M.A. (2024). Optimization of Structural Grid in Low Rise Reinforced Cement Concrete Framed Buildings. In: Huang, G. (eds) Proceedings of the 2024 11th International Conference on Geological and Civil Engineering. ICGCE 2024. Springer Series in Geomechanics and Geoengineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-68624-5_8
  • Pankaj, Rajeev Garg & Akhilesh Kumar, (2023), “Smart City Planning in India – A Case of Dehradun City”, i-Converge: Changing Dimensions of the Built Environment (2022), Volume I, pp. 1-6, Taylor and Francis, ISBN: 9781003450221, DOI: 4324/9781003450221-1
  • Akhilesh Kumar, Pankaj & Rajeev Garg, (2023), “Zero Waste Management Approaches and Strategies for University campus”, i-Converge: Changing Dimensions of the Built Environment, Volume I, pp. 7-16, Taylor and Francis, ISBN: 9781003450221, DOI:  10.4324/9781003450221-2
  • Pankaj, Devadas V. (2023), “Dehradun towards Smart City”, Sustainable Future Cities – Volume II, pp. 2-6, ISBN: 978-93-5741-477-7, Blue Rose Publisher.
  • Verma, Pankaj and Devadas, V., Vertical Development in Dehradun City (March 15, 2018). Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur, International Conference on Urban Sustainability: Emerging Trends, Themes, Concepts & Practices (ICUS) 2018, https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3198633

S. No.

Title

Year Awarded

Scholar

Supervisor

Co-Supervisor

1.

Planning for Public Spaces in Smart Cities – A Case of Nagpur City

Ongoing

Sonali Borate 

Dr. Pankaj

–

2.

Planning for Health and Wellness at Neighborhood Level – A Case of Nagpur City

Ongoing

Nagabhoina Tejendra

Dr. Pankaj

–

S. No.

Title

Scholar

Supervisor

Co-Supervisor

Status/Year Awarded

1.

Planning for Land Management in Nagpur City

Abhilash Moreshwar Wankhede

Dr. Pankaj

–

Completed

2.

Planning for Urban Floods: A case of Chennai city

Divyabharathi R

Dr. Pankaj

–

Ongoing

3.

Sustainable Tourism Development Plan for Ayodhya City

Jyoti Rawat

Dr. Pankaj

–

Ongoing

S. No.

UG (B. Arch)

Ongoing

Completed

1.

UG Thesis Project

0

22

2.

UG Dissertation 

0

15

  • As a Coordinator (with Dr. Sarika Bahadure), organized a half–day Workshop on “Application of AI in Urban Planning” at the Town Planning Department, Nagpur Division, Nagpur, on 17th April 2025.
  • As a Coordinator (with Dr. Pankaj Bahadure), organized a five-day on-site Workshop/STTP on “Traditional Vernacular Housing of Gujarat” in collaboration with the Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT Nagpur and NIRMA University, at Ahmedabad, Bhuj and Kutch from 16th to 24th December 2024.
  • As a Coordinator (with Dr. Akshay Patil & Dr. Amit Deshmukh), organized a five-day Hands-on Training Workshop on “Modelling and Simulation of Urban Systems (2024) – Application of System Dynamics” at the Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT Nagpur, from 15th to 19th July 2024.
  • As a Coordinator (with Dr. Amit Deshmukh), organized a two-day Hands-on Training Workshop on “Building Plan Management System (BPMS)” in association with the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA) Nagpur Chapter, at the Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT Nagpur, from 4th to 5th of October 2023.
  • As a Coordinator (with Dr. Amit Deshmukh), organized a five-day Hands-on Training Workshop on “Modelling and Simulation of Urban Systems” at the Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT Nagpur, from 19 to 23rd June 2023.
  • As a Convener, organized a five-day National e-Workshop on “Research Methodology in Architecture and Planning” at the School of Architecture and Design, DIT University, from 14th to 18th February 2022.
  • As a Coordinator, organized a three-day workshop on “Exposed Brick Work (Decorative walls and Columns)” at Zonal Nasa, organized at Invertis University (Bareilly, U.P.) from 1st to 3rd October 2016.

Extra- Curricular Activities (University Level)

  • Professor In-charge of Fine Arts Club (Iridescence), at VNIT – Nagpur, for the Academic year 2023-2024.
  • Faculty mentor for Capacity Building on Design and Entrepreneurship (CBDE) under the aegis of the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme (MMTTP).
  • NIRF Core Committee member for the academic year 2024-25 and 2025 – 26.
  • Professor In-charge of Quiz Club, at VNIT – Nagpur, for Academic year 2023-2024.
  • Member of the Board of Studies (Architecture) at the Faculty of Architecture, DIT University from April 2016 to December 2016.

Extra- Curricular Activities (Department-Level)

  • Member of Departmental Research and Consultancy committee at Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT – Nagpur from January 2025 till date.
  • PG Coordinator at Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT – Nagpur, for the academic year 2025-26.
  • DEC (Department Exam Coordinator) at Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT – Nagpur, from January 2024 to till date.
  • NIRF and Academic Review Coordinator at the Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT – Nagpur, for the academic year 2024-25 and 2025 – 26.
  • Class Committee Chairperson for I & II Semester at Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT – Nagpur, for academic session 2024-2025.
  • UG Project Coordinator (Phase I) at the Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT – Nagpur, for the academic years 2023-24 and 2024-25.
  • Class Committee Chairperson for II Semester at Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT – Nagpur, for academic session 2023-2024.
  • Co-DEC (Department Exam Coordinator) at the Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT – Nagpur, from October 2022 to December 2023.
  • Construction Yard Coordinator at the Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT – Nagpur, from September 2022 to December 2023.
  • Infrastructure & Premises, Coordinator at Department of Architecture and Planning, VNIT – Nagpur, from October 2022 to December 2023.
  • Three-day, Roorkee Urban Symposium 2025, An International Biennial Conference, held at the Department of Architecture and Planning, IIT Roorkee, India, March 28-30, 2025.
  • Four-day, International Conference on Resilience and Livable Cities (RLCP-2020), held at School of Planning and Architecture Vijayawada, India, February 10-13, 2021.
  • Three-day, International Conference on Future Cities (ICFC-2019), held at IIT- Roorkee, India, December 11-13, 2019.
  • One-day workshop cum regional conference of ITPI UKRC on “Human Settlements and Planning Education” at IIT Roorkee on 24th March 2018.
  • Two-day National Conference on “Development Strategy for Hills in the Context of Uttarakhand” at DIT University from 6th March to 7th March 2017.
  • Three-day 10th Uttarakhand State Science & Technology Congress 2015-16 at Uttarakhand Technical University from 10th February to 12th February 2016.
  • Selected for the ISRO-sponsored NNRMS course.
  • Completed Ph. D. research within four years (3 years 10 months) from IIT-Roorkee (26/12/2016 to 17/10/2020, including the lockdown period during COVID-19).
  • Awarded MHRD, Fellowship from 2017-2020.
  • Awarded GATE Scholarship from 2011-2013.
  • Obtained Second prize in the INGENIUM’07 Art Exhibition organized by the FABULAZERS Club at Dehradun Institute of Technology, Dehradun.
  • Obtained Second prize in the Anchor On-the-Spot Embroidery Contest sponsored by the Coats India Company at Touch Wood School, Dehradun.