Bhubaneswar, Aug. 4 (UDN): The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has identified 4,632 properties across the city for alleged unauthorised construction and illegal commercial use, with enforcement action set to begin in the coming weeks.
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The crackdown follows a notification issued by the Housing and Urban Development Department on September 4, 2025, as well as recent directions from the Supreme Court of India, which instructed municipal authorities across the country to take stringent action against illegal buildings and deviations from approved construction plans.
According to BMC, the enforcement drive will cover flat owners, apartment owners, plot holders and occupiers who have either undertaken unauthorised construction or converted residential buildings into commercial establishments without obtaining mandatory approvals from the BMC or the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA).
The civic body said commercial activities such as shops, hostels, hotels, educational institutions and healthcare facilities operating in residential buildings in violation of sanctioned building plans or the provisions of the Odisha Development Authorities Act and planning regulations will be treated as illegal.
Over 4,600 Properties Under Scanner
BMC has identified a total of 4,632 suspected properties, including:
1,712 properties in the North Zone
1,540 properties in the Southwest Zone
1,380 properties in the Southeast Zone
Property owners have been directed to submit valid building plans, occupancy or completion certificates, or official approvals permitting commercial use before the respective Zonal Deputy Commissioner or the ODA Court at the BMC headquarters within one month.
Officials warned that failure to furnish the required documents within the stipulated period could result in sealing of the premises, closure of commercial operations, demolition of unauthorised structures, or other legal action, without further notice.
Meanwhile, real estate expert Bimalendu Pradhan questioned the timing of the enforcement drive, alleging that authorities had ignored such violations for years despite collecting taxes and other revenues from many of the affected properties.
The civic body has maintained that the enforcement campaign is aimed at ensuring compliance with building regulations, safeguarding planned urban development, and implementing the Supreme Court’s directives on illegal constructions.
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