The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has sent its new Town Planning Scheme for approval to the State Government.
Touted as a milestone in urban planning, the scheme is expected to modernise urban amenities, benefiting 3,000 people owning 746 hectare of land on the city outskirts. While all the plot owners would get physical infrastructure like road, drain, water supply, sewerage and electricity supply, the social infrastructures like schools, healthcare centres, shopping areas, playgrounds, gardens, police station, fire station, sports complexes, swimming pools and housing for economically weaker sections would come as a bonus.
Unlike land acquisition process, there would be no monetary transaction and the land owners would get all these infrastructures at a cost of just 40 to 50 per cent of the portion of their original land. In fact, in States like Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat land owners have to sacrifice 60 to 70 per cent land to get the benefits under such a scheme. The Housing and Urban Development Department would scrutinise the scheme and offer suggestions. A valuation officer would 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.