President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday advised engineers to build sustainable structures in view of the changing climate and also to ensure that they look beautiful.

Speaking to separate groups of trainee Assistant Executive Engineers and Deputy Architects of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), who had called on him, Kovind said the issue of sustainability and energy efficiency is critical in view of climate change and related environmental concerns.

"CPWD officers must ensure that buildings, roads and other infrastructure they create are energy-efficient and environment-friendly... While focusing on functionality, we should also be mindful of aesthetics.

"For example, our smart cities should not just be efficient and people-friendly but also aesthetically pleasing," a statement from his office quoted the President as saying.

"This is where architects and engineers can collaborate and play an important role," it added.