Bhubaneswar, 4th Nov 2025: The jurisdiction of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to expand, with 71 villages from nearby areas proposed to be included within its limits. The process for this expansion has already begun, and Block Development Officers (BDOs) from three blocks have submitted preliminary Gram Sabha (village assembly) reports.
Once the government gives its official approval, the merger of panchayats into BMC will formally commence.
A total of 14 panchayats will come under BMC’s jurisdiction, including 12 from Bhubaneswar block, such as Tamando, Dhauli, Lingipur, Itipur, Raghunathpur, Daruthenga, Andharua, Daspur, and Gothapatna, among others. Additionally, Andilo panchayat from Balianta block and one panchayat from Jatni block will also be included.
The Housing and Urban Development Department has already informed the Khordha District Collector about the expansion plan. Following that, the concerned blocks have started the groundwork, and the Gram Sabha resolutions have been forwarded to the state government for approval.
Currently, BMC has 67 wards divided into three zones—South-East, South-West, and North—housing a population of over 1.5 million people. To ensure better service delivery, BMC will establish three additional zonal offices, bringing the total to six zones.
The South-East Zone presently has 25 wards, comprising 12 from Ekamra Assembly Constituency and 13 from Central Bhubaneswar Constituency. These will be reorganized, and new wards from Jatni block will be added. The North Zone will be split into two parts, separated by the Jayadev Vihar–Nandankanan Road.
BMC has already initiated the process and written to the General Administration Department to allocate land for the new zonal offices. Once the villages merge with BMC, new zone names will be designated.
At present, each zonal office handles more than 24 wards, leading to excessive workload. To reduce pressure and improve efficiency, BMC has decided to divide the zones. With this reorganization, the number of required staff will also increase, and additional Zonal Commissioners will be appointed.
Earlier, the government had approved the recruitment of 457 new staff for BMC, but the plan has not yet been implemented. After the merger of the 71 villages, the Housing and Urban Development Department is expected to fill vacant posts and appoint additional personnel as required.
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