Agencies
Bhubaneswar, Sept 17: With a view to building a satellite township on the city outskirts, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) Friday sent its newly prepared Town Planning Scheme to the state government for its approval.
Billed as a milestone in urban planning, the scheme is expected to modernise urban amenities, benefiting 3,000 people owning 746 hectares in the city outskirts.
The plan incorporates development of 556 villages of Bhubaneswar, Jatni and Khurda tehsils.
While the plot owners will get physical infrastructure like road, drain, water supply, sewerage and electricity supply, social infrastructure like schools, healthcare centres, shopping complexes, playgrounds, gardens, police station, fire station, sports complexes, swimming pools and housing for economically weaker sections will come as a bonus.
Unlike land acquisition process, there will be no monetary transaction needed and the land owners will get all these infrastructures with a cost of just 40 to 50 percent of the portion of their original land. In fact, in states like Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat land owners have to sacrifice 60 to 70 percent land to get the benefits under Town Planning Scheme.
The plan has been prepared keeping in mind the demand for the coming 10 years. The scheme also aims at providing affordable shelter for economically weaker sections.
The housing and urban development department will scrutinise the scheme and offer suggestions. A valuation officer will be appointed to evaluate and review the suggestions.
However, as per the provisions in the Orissa 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.