Bhubaneswar residents await long-promised urban planning reforms

For thousands of residents in Bhubaneswar, the dream of owning a home within a fully planned urban township remains uncertain. Questions have resurfaced over the long-awaited Town Planning scheme, which has seen repeated delays despite being presented as a cornerstone of the city’s future growth.

Also Read: Bhubaneswar set for major expansion as 71 villages eye inclusion in BMC limits; proposal under review

While Bhubaneswar continues to aspire toward becoming a well-structured, modern city through strategic urban planning, the project has remained largely on paper for many who hoped for affordable, organised housing clusters. Concerns have grown among residents who feel the ambition of a ‘planned city’ has yet to transform into visible progress.

Recently, Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister has announced that, shortly after Bhubaneswar, town planning schemes will also be rolled out in Puri and several other municipal corporations. The H&UD Minister’s statement has sparked fresh debate among Bhubaneswar residents, who question why new cities are being taken up when the State Capital’s own planning scheme remains incomplete.

Many residents now wonder when Bhubaneswar’s long-promised urban development vision will finally take shape. “Will it see the light of day?” the residents question.

“We are going to introduce the TP (Town Planning) scheme in more areas of Bhubaneswar. Introduction of TP will benefit people. Valuation of the lands, which were around Rs 500 per square foot previously, will now increase to nearly Rs 5,000 per square foot. Lands will have the advantage of sewerage and drainage facilities, including roads,” Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra said.

“TP scheme was taken up to activate the entire Ring Road, which is being carried out by both the BDA through TP scheme and the Works Department through land acquisition. It was divided into four zones. Full-fledged work is underway in one of the zones. However, the work got delayed due to some infrastructural issues,” BDA Vice-Chairman, Chanchal Rana, stated.