Bhubaneswar CDP to be finalised soon

The draft Comprehensive City Development Plan for Bhubaneswar prepared by IIT-Kharagpur is expected to be finalised within 2-3 months, according to DK Singh, vice-chairman, Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA).

The finalization of the draft CDP for the city which was scheduled by the end of January this year had hit a delay as the BDA had received more than 5,000 objections from the residents pertaining to the draft CDP. The objections to the draft CDP were raised by different stakeholders, especially the real estate bodies like the Orissa chapter of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (Credai) and the Real Estate Developers Association (REDA-Orissa).

BDA has set up a board of enquiry for entertaining complaints relating to the draft CDP of the city and so far two rounds of hearing have been completed, said Singh. According to the draft CDP of Bhubaneswar prepared by IIT-Kharagpur, the city’s population was projected at 30 lakh by 2030. To accommodate 30 lakh people in and around the city, an area of 9,286 acres has been earmarked for residential purposes in the CDP.

Out of the total area of 9,286 acres, 400 acres has been earmarked for Special Residential Zone (SRZ) and the housing projects being developed on this SRZ will enjoy exemption from sales tax and value added tax.

Credai-Orissa felt that the area earmarked for the SRZ in the draft CDP of the city needs to be raised from 400 acres to 2,000 acres.

The real estate body felt that allocating an area of 2,000 acres for SRZ in the CDP would help to accommodate 15-20 per cent of the projected population of 30 lakh and the move is aimed to benefit people belonging to the economically weaker sections of the society.

BDA had constituted a committee to consider this demand. This apart, Credai, Orissa had made other suggestions to the BDA to ensure successful implementation of the upcoming CDP in the city and its adjoining areas.

The real estate body felt that allocating an area of 2,000 acres for SRZ in the CDP would help to accommodate 15-20 per cent of the projected population of 30 lakh and the move is aimed to benefit people belonging to the economically weaker sections of the society. BDA had constituted a committee to consider this demand.

This apart, Credai, Orissa had made other suggestions to the BDA to ensure successful implementation of the upcoming CDP in the city and its adjoining areas.

According to Credai-Orissa, in many areas, the land use marked in the draft CDP are in conflict with BDA approved plan where construction has been completed.

The association suggested that an area which has been approved for a particular zone should maintain the same status in the new CDP to keep the citizens hassle free and also to avoid any legal dispute.