Bhubaneswar expands municipal corporation to nine new areas

The housing and urban development department has started plans to expand the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) area. This expansion will include nine areas located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The areas are Sijua, Raghunathpur, Lingipur, Nuagaon, Ebarang, Tikarpada, Itipur, Dhauli, and Basuaghai. Housing and urban development minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra announced this in the state assembly. He also mentioned that Madhusudan Nagar will be added to Jatni Municipality in Khurda district to improve local services. These proposals have been sent to the Khurda district collector for further review. Once the suggestions are received, a detailed proposal will be prepared for adding these areas to BMC and Jatni Municipality. The inclusion will lead to better civic amenities, such as waste management, street lighting, drainage, and water supply. This is particularly important for Sijua, which is home to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar but has faced issues with basic infrastructure. Residents have expressed their support for the initiative. "This is indeed great news," said Girija Prasad, a resident of Basuaghai. He pointed out the poor sanitation and frequent power cuts in the area despite being near the capital. Officials believe that expanding BMC's jurisdiction is a major step towards improving living conditions and urban development for those in these neighborhoods. Once completed, this move is expected to reduce the infrastructure gap between the city and its outskirts, promoting uniform urban growth across Bhubaneswar.