BHUBANESWAR: In an effort to revive Odisha’s heritage properties and utilise them to boost tourism development, the state government has brought out operational guidelines for conservation of such structures built before 1950, and encourage their adaptive reuse. Such properties can avail capital investment subsidy (CIS) for repair, restoration, renovation and improvement.
Official sources said the guidelines are based on the Odisha Tourism (Amendment) Policy, 2026. The structures include palaces, forts, mansions and other culturally significant buildings which possess architectural, historical and cultural significance with distinctive heritage features and ambience.
The government aims to encourage conservation and adaptive reuse of such structures by linking them with tourism-driven economic activities. The initiative is expected to provide a fresh impetus to heritage conservation while creating new avenues for rural and cultural tourism.
As per the guidelines, the heritage properties will have five categories like hotel, museum, restaurant/cafeteria and banquet. A heritage hotel must have at least five guest rooms and can have different nomenclature like heritage palace, resorts or homestays.
Similarly, a heritage restaurant should be capable of accommodating a minimum of 30 guests at a time, while banquet venues must have one room for guests, seating capacity of at least 20 guests and a built-up area of 500 sq ft or more.
The eligibility criteria for projects seeking financial incentives under the scheme stated that property owners must establish clear ownership or hold a valid lease of at least 10 years. Besides, they will also have to furnish documentary evidence like revenue records, historical documents, district administration reports, certificates from the ASI or reports from conservation experts authorised by Tourism department to prove that the structure was built before 1950.
This apart, these properties must comply with building and fire safety regulations, heritage conservation norms and ensure the availability of basic infrastructure such as electricity, water supply and sanitation facilities.
The guidelines also include provision of CIS for repair, restoration, renovation and improvement of such properties. The project proponents seeking incentives will have to obtain approval under the prescribed mechanism and undergo a pre-work assessment conducted by a government-approved conservation expert.
Official sources said the assessment will be supported by comprehensive documentation such as geo-tagged photographs, videos, measured drawings, condition assessment reports and an inventory of existing structures and features to establish the baseline status of the property. These records will form the basis for evaluating the eligible capital investment for subsidy purposes, it added.
The policy further stressed on maintaining the original character of heritage structures. Any renovation, extension or modification must adhere to traditional architectural styles and construction techniques, ensuring that new additions blend harmoniously with the existing structure. The newly-added built-up area cannot exceed 50 per cent of the total built-up area of the property.
The guidelines further clarify that any repair or renovation undertaken before obtaining the required approvals will not qualify for incentives, although certain new constructions may be considered on a case-by-case basis under the policy provisions.
