Odisha government notifies second amendment rules for urban development regulations
: The state govt has officially notified the
Odisha Development Authorities
(Planning and Building Standards) Second Amendment Rules, 2025, marking a significant breakthrough in urban development regulations.
According to experts, the new amendment is expected to resolve the long-standing issue of part plot registrations, which were at a standstill for quite a long time due to several litigations and other issues.
The housing and urban development department issued the notification following a public consultation in March, where the draft rules were open for suggestions and objections. These new regulations supersede the previous 2020 rules and introduce several key changes.
The new regulations introduce seven key provisions that streamline the plot sub-division process. Under the amendment, family sub-divisions are now exempt from standard layout provisions when divided among family members under relevant laws.
Also, a one-time exemption has been granted for plots smaller than 500 square metres, allowing sub-division without authority's permission, provided they are not used for any kind of real estate projects.
The amendment also addresses agricultural plots, exempting them from sub-division layout rules if they maintain their agricultural status and usage. For town planning schemes, the new rules waive open space reservation requirements for further sub-division of final plots in authority's schemes.
One of the notable changes, includes the simplification of benchmark value calculations, allowing self-attested values downloaded from Inspector General of Revenue
Odisha
's official website. This move is expected to streamline the fee calculation process significantly.
For industrial development, the amendments establish a minimum road width requirement of 6 meters outside urban local body areas. The Industrial Development Corporation of Odisha (Idco) has been granted authority to exempt industrial buildings within their pre-2020 allotted plots.
The new rules also remove ground coverage limitations for industrial buildings and modify parking requirements, including special provisions for buildings up to 300 sq metres within Idco allotted plots.
Commercial building regulations have also seen substantial changes, with the removal of the ground coverage limitations and introduction of setback exemptions for plots up to 4,000 square metres. However, these exemptions come with specific restrictions on entry and exit points.
"These amendments represent a significant step forward in urban development regulation. They will help create more organised and sustainable urban spaces while simplifying the development process for stakeholders, but there are still some confusions," said real estate expert Bimalendu Pradhan.
Experts say the new regulations are expected to have a far-reaching impact on
urban development in Odisha
, particularly in resolving the backlog of part plot registrations and streamlining the approval process for various types of construction projects.
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