People Throng BDA Office In Bhubaneswar As Deadline For Amnesty Scheme Draws Near

Bhubaneswar: As the deadline for the amnesty scheme (Sarbakhyama Yojana), that allows the residents to regularize unauthorized constructions, is nearing its end, people flocked to the office of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) here on Tuesday to apply under the scheme.

The BDA staff, dealing with the matter, were on their toes as the applicants started coming in even before the employees had reached the office.

Large number of people from different parts of the city were seen rushing to the BDA office throughout the day and it’s expected that the number will escalate on Thursday with the deadline ending on February 20.

“As the deadline expires in the next two days, people are applying in large numbers to get the deviations corrected. Since a large number of people are applying at the last moment, it is turning out to be a challenge for all of us,” said an official.

In the first few days, the number of applications was not so high, but later on it doubled. So far, more than 4000 applications have been received, added the official, requesting anonymity.

On February 4, the Odisha government had extended the deadline of the amnesty scheme by another 15 days, seeing good response and requests from people,. It was supposed to end on February 5.

The government had earlier denied any extension of the scheme period and warned violators of stern action under the Orissa Development Authority (ODA) Act 1982, from February 6.

The existing scheme is in force in Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), Cuttack Development Authority (CDA), Rourkela Development Authority (RDA), Talcher-Angul-Mermunduli Development Authority, Berhampur Development Authority, Sambalpur Development Authority, Puri-Konark Development Authority, Kalinga Nagar Development Authority and Paradip Development Authority.

In June 2018, the Housing and Urban Development Department had introduced amnesty scheme – Regularization of Unauthorized Constructions 2018 (Sarbakshama Yojana) – for housing plan violations within BDA area.