BHUBANESWAR: The comprehensive development plan (CDP) for Cuttack development plan area (CDPA) was finally notified on Sunday. The plan envisages around two-and-a-half times increase in land used for residential purpose from 9.92 per cent at present to 23 per cent by 2030.

The CDP suggested creation of 12,000 houses for economically weaker sections (EWS) category to rehabilitate the existing slum dwellers. Among others, it advocated construction of 5,000 low-income housing units in Sikharpur zone and re-densification of the area besides development of new housing colonies and townships in Barang, Gopalpur and Nirgundi. This will include apartments and gated colonies, high-rise apartments in areas with relaxed height norms and increased floor area ratio (FAR) provision. The eco-sensitive area of Mundali has been plannes for resort housing and lagoons. While Barang has been planned as an activity centre with high-end housing projects, government and corporate offices besides IT special economic zone, Gopalpur has been marked for high-end group housing projects by developers.

As per the plan, Nirgundi, Charbatia, Chhatisa and Choudwar areas on the northern fringe with a comparatively lower population density would in future accommodate a significant share of population and would see rise in the housing densities. Charbatia and Chhatisa areas have been proposed for restricted development. Hence, the densities of these zones will be limited. The plan suggests revitalization of existing residential industrial infrastructure the OTM Colony in Choudwar after clearance from the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) and a special residential zone (SRZ) for affordable housing in Nirgundi keeping in mind availability of uninterrupted vacant land there.

The CDP plans Bidanasi as one of the largest satellite townships to meet the future housing demands of the millennium city. It had been planned for a population of 1.5 lakh which included the spill-over population of the main city, migrants from outside engaged in various economic activities including the service population.

The plan suggests making rental housing acceptable and affordable by increasing the rental housing stock through reverse mortgage. Currently, overall, 77 per cent of the households own their houses and only 15 per cent live in rented accommodation. The rural areas of CDPA show that almost 98 per cent of the households own their houses.

The CDPA, comprising CMC, Choudwar municipality and CDPA rural, is spread over 302.80 sq km. The projected population of CDPA in 2030 is 15 lakh compared around 8.27 lakh at present. The CDP projects the housing requirement of CDPA to be 2.68 lakh dwelling units by 2030 and envisages larger roles for private players and public private partnership (PPP) model to realize the need.

Real estate developers feel notification of the plan will give a push to real estate activities. "There was a broader idea about the plan from the draft published long ago. But, now the plan has legal sanctity. Hopefully, it will facilitate regulated development in the plan area as developers will keep the CDP as a guiding principle," said DS Tripathy, president of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India state unit.

Experts said efforts should be made to execute the CDP. "Such plans are made and mostly put in archives. Sincere efforts should be made so that it works," said Piyush Rout, an urban management consultant.