Odisha’s Smart city outskirts set to get a face-lift

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Sep 17:

The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) on Friday sent its newly prepared Town Planning Scheme for approval to the State Government.

Touted as a milestone in urban planning, the scheme is expected to modernize urban amenities, benefiting 3,000 people owning 746 hectares in the city outskirts.

While all the plot owners will get physical infrastructure like road, drain, water supply, sewerage and electricity supply, the social infrastructure like schools, health care centres, shopping area, playgrounds, gardens, police station, fire station, sports complexes, swimming pools and housing for economically weaker sections will come as a bonus.

Unlike land acquisition process, there will be no monetary transaction needed and the land owners will get all these infrastructures with a cost of just 40 to 50 percent of the portion of their original land. In fact, in states like Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat land owners have to sacrifice 60 to 70 percent land to get the benefits under Town Planning Scheme.

The housing and Urban Development Department will scrutinize the scheme and offer suggestions. A valuation officer will be appointed to evaluate and review the suggestions.

However, as per the provisions in the Odisha Development Authority Act, 1982, if the Department does not revert within six months after the submission of the scheme, the submission would be considered as approved.