BHUBANESWAR: With the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) drawn up for the Smart City Bhubaneswar failing to match up with the benchmark, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has decided to go for a fresh CDP to create infrastructure and facility in next five years.
Informing this at the BDA’s 37th Foundation Day celebration, BDA Vice-Chairman Prem Chandra Chaudhary said they have already received the approval of the Housing and Urban Development department in this regard.
“The CDP will focus on city’s future progress in terms of infrastructure and other facilities. We will develop it through public participation and feedbacks,” he said.
H&UD Secretary and BDA Chairman G Mathivathanan said the CDP will be based on what Bhubaneswar requires in next five years and how much BDA will invest for the purpose.
He pointed out that the achievement under the existing CDP has not been much compared to what had been projected 10 years back. “Large patches of land reserved under the CDP remain unused,” he said and added that this time, the CDP will be more realistic and focus on what is doable in five years.
The H&UD Secretary also announced that the existing housing regulations will be suitably amended in line with the amnesty scheme introduced last year.
“Our housing regulations are not realistic and force people to deviate and violate. Those need a relook and suitable amendment,” he said.
Mathivathanan said the government is planning to liberalise the regulations to allow people to construct within their own land.
The new regulations will encourage vertical constructions in which the Floor Area Ratio limit will be increased.
“It will not only help the public to follow the norms conveniently but also bring down the land cost which has become abnormally high,” he said.
He also said new housing projects will be taken up to provide affordable accommodation to citizens belonging to lower-income group.
Steps will also be taken for development of slums and create better infrastructure for slum dwellers to improve their living condition.