BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a public notice of starting a crackdown against unauthorised constructions and the illegal commercial use of residential premises in the city soon.
The notice has been issued in line with the Housing and Urban Development department’s September 4, 2025, notification and in compliance with the Supreme Court’s orders. The apex court, in its orders on May 20 and July 9 this year, has directed all municipal authorities across the country to take immediate and effective action against unauthorised constructions and deviations from approved building plans, including sealing, demolition and other measures as applicable under law.
The BMC stated that the notice applies to flat owners, apartment owners, plot owners and occupiers of residential or commercial premises who have either undertaken unauthorised construction or are operating shops, hostels, hotels, educational institutions, clinical establishments or other commercial activities without obtaining the required approvals from the civic body or Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA).
The corporation has also warned that residential premises being used for commercial or non-residential purposes in violation of sanctioned building plans and statutory provisions under the Odisha Development Authorities Act, 1982, and the Planning and Building Standards Regulations will be treated as unauthorised and illegal.
BMC sources said they have identified a total of 4,632 plots either using or have started converting the residential premises for the use of non-residential/commercial purpose. Around 1,712 such plots have been identified in North Zone, while 1,540 plots are in Southwest zone. Another 1,380 plots have been identified in the Southeast zone.
The owners, occupiers or claimants possessing valid sanctioned building plans, occupancy certificates, completion certificates or approvals permitting commercial use of their premises have been asked to submit the relevant documents before the zonal deputy commissioner (ZDC) or the ODA Court at the BMC headquarters to obtain the necessary clearance.
BMC deputy commissioner (land and legal) Jogendra Majhi said failure to produce the required approvals and supporting documents will be treated as unauthorised/illegal and invite action as per law.
The BMC notice has also clarified that non-submission of relevant documents will result in the premises being presumed unauthorised and illegal, making them liable for closure, sealing and other legal action, without any further notice. A zonal deputy commissioner said the plot owners and developers have been asked to submit the documents within a month.
Real estate expert Bimalendu Pradhan, however, said the public notice is not sufficient as the civic body is completely silent on what action it will initiate against its own office/officials for becoming a party to these unauthorised activities.
“BMC did not discover these illegalities now. It billed them for years, in some cases decades. For the civic body, it was a revenue model of its own which it pretends to have discovered five days ahead of the hearing in the matter,” Pradhan alleged.