Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Dec 19: The housing and urban development department (H&UD) has raised serious objections to the unutilised space of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) three projects and sought clarification from the latter.
H&UD shot off a letter to the civic body seeking the status of 1.64 lakh sq ft vacant space of the three public private partnership (PPP) mode projects — BMC Bhawani Mall at Saheed Nagar, Keshari Mall at Unit II and BMC Panchadip Complex at Unit IV.
BMC has sought H&UD’s approval for executing another residential-cum-commercial complex project at Saheed Nagar spread across 2.68 acres of land. The proposal has not gone down well with the H&UD.
BMC had developed the three projects in upmarket locations in the city. All the projects have been completed long ago and BMC had got its accumulative share of 1.64 lakh sq ft area from the private players to be used by the corporation to raise revenue.
Though years have elapsed, the civic body is struggling to utilise BMC Bhawani mall-cum-multiplex’s vacant space.
“The unutilised space share of BMC is also suitable for renting offices but still a huge patch of space is lying unused without any visible commercial return to the corporation. When such a sprawling space is lying unutilised, how can BMC plan to develop another commercial complex at Saheed Nagar?” the letter mentioned.
Municipal commissioner Krishan Kumar said the project was conceived of by the then municipal commissioner Sanjib Kumar Mishra who is now director municipal administration in the H&UD. Kumar declined to comment further.
Sanjib Mishra told Orissa POST that BMC owes an explanation to the government for not using the space.
“When I was the BMC municipal commissioner, the Saheed Nagar project was in its nascent stage. It was planned to be developed as an auditorium-cum-conference hall,” he said.
