Bhubaneswar to get Rs 100 crore riverfront-style urban corridor, BDA invites proposals

The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has mulled plans to transform a 3.26-km stretch of the natural storm water channel (Drainage Channel No. 10) into a recreational and ecological corridor on the lines of Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront.

The proposed project, estimated at over Rs 100 crore, will convert one of the city’s most polluted waterways into a vibrant public space with promenades, landscaped parks, and cultural zones, as per reports by The New Indian Express.

Three-Zone Plan Along The Central Corridor

The BDA’s proposal covers around 100 acres of land on both sides of the drain, extending from Vidyut Marg to the Cuttack–Puri Road. Reports stated that the stretch has been divided into three development zones:

• Zone 1: Vidyut Marg to Sachivalaya Marg
• Zone 2: Sachivalaya Marg to Janpath
• Zone 3: Janpath to Cuttack–Puri Road

The zone is being planned as a multi-functional urban hub combining recreation, tourism, and community interaction. The authority has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) inviting consultancy firms to carry out a comprehensive survey, prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR), and design a master plan for the project.

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Smart City’s Earlier Proposal

Earlier in September, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi approved the Mahanadi riverfront development scheme from Bhubaneswar.

He had stated that the second phase of the scheme will develop the riverfront along the Kuakhai and Kushabhadra rivers near Pandara in Bhubaneswar. The said plans included riverbank development with safety measures, construction of ring roads and viewpoints, floating jetties, lock gates, bridges, parking facilities, cafeterias, toilets, and pedestrian pathways, at an investment of Rs 80 crore.