Major reforms in Odisha Development Authority Rules Minister

    Bhubaneswar, Aug 14 (PTI) In a bid to boost the real
estate sector and make housing schemes affordable in urban
areas during the post-pandemic period, the Odisha government
has introduced major reforms in the Development Authority
Rules.
    Odisha Urban development Minister Pratap Jena on
Saturday said the state government has already notified the
Odisha Development Authority (Planning & Building Standard)
Rules, 2020, which aimed at bringing uniformity of norms and
procedure.
    The new rules will also do away with the majority of
the provisions of multiple regulations notified by different
development authorities. This will help to introduce a common
online platform for building plan approval throughout the
state, he said.
    The new rules are both proactive and progressive, Jena
said, adding that they (rule) will address the concerns of all
the segments of urban population.
    There are many exemptions, relaxations and incentives,
which will not only make the small private buildings easy to
plan, construct and occupy, but will also encourage
construction of large scale high-rise projects to make the
housing units more affordable, the minister said.
    "The setbacks have been relaxed for almost all the
categories of buildings. The restriction of maximum FAR (floor
area ratio) on low risk buildings has been removed.
    "As many as 108 pre-approved designs for low-risk
buildings have been made readily available, which will not
only reduce dependency of people on the architects, technical
persons and the planning authorities, the plans will also get
approved almost instantly," the minister said.
    Now construction of houses and obtaining Occupancy
Certificates will be much easier than before, he said adding
that provisions have also been made for development of
commercial use in the residential buildings also.
    The new rules will also facilitate significant
improvement in the affordable housing sector through a lot of
relaxations and exemptions. The setbacks, approach road,
parking and many other building norms have been relaxed to
attract more and more investment in the housing sector, the
minister said.
    The minister said that the most significant is the
amendment of the Policy for Housing for All in Urban areas,
Odisha, 2015, which is going to attract more private partners
to come forward to collaborate with the government in
construction of affordable houses for the economically weaker
section (EWS) and lower-income group (LIG) category.
    Now the private developer can get 60 per cent of the
project land on a freehold and free of cost basis for
developing affordable housing over 40 per cent of the project
area.
    "Odisha is the first in the entire country to take
such a path-breaking and progressive initiative. Besides, 20
per cent of all plotted developments will have to provide for
EWS and LIG categories," he said.
    He said, the rules have raised the limits of maximum
FAR up to 7, which is the highest in the country. This will
make high rise buildings possible. Setbacks have been relaxed.
Exemptions have been given in the stilt, basement, and others,
he said.
    While the rate of purchasable FAR has been reduced to
half, a lot of relaxations have been given for flexibility in
design and relaxations in open spaces have also been provided.
Part occupancy has also been allowed.
    Replying to a question, the minister said structural
stability and fire safety norms have been made non-negotiable.
He said the government has also been conscious of the
environmental impact, therefore the ground coverage
restrictions have been introduced along with various measures
for enhancing green cover and open spaces.
    Provisions relating to enforcement have also been made
more stringent and third party inspection has also been
introduced along with various penal measures, he said. PTI AAM
RG RG

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)