Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to undertake a comprehensive survey to identify residential buildings being misused for commercial purposes across the city, following a recent Supreme Court directive that has brought all municipal bodies in the country under its scrutiny.The move comes after the apex court, while hearing a case related to an unauthorised commercial establishment in Chennai, ordered that all municipal corporations and the municipalities of state capitals conduct a detailed inspection of residential areas being illegally converted for non-residential use.The court has also impleaded all such civic bodies as parties in the case, raising the stakes for urban local bodies nationwide. City mayor Sulochana Das said that preparation will be made after receiving the order, and ward-level teams will be formed to map residential colonies, apartment complexes and housing societies.The teams will inspect homes that are being used as offices, shops, coaching centres, clinics, pay-and-use guesthouses and other commercial entities without permission, and action will be taken accordingly. “We will follow the directions strictly and submit a detailed report as required,” she said.The Supreme Court has taken serious note of large-scale violations of building bye-laws and land-use norms in its recent ruling. Officials said that BMC has already warned entities of such illegal activities. Now the exercise would cover the entire municipal jurisdiction, including areas on the city’s outskirts.The top court, while dismissing pleas against action on an illegal structure in Chennai, made sharp observations on municipal failure, stating that full-fledged buildings could not have come up without the “connivance or negligence” of local authorities. In this case, a two-storeyed building was constructed without a valid building plan approval.The bench flagged growing instances of residential neighbourhoods being converted into commercial hubs, causing civic stress, environmental concerns and hardship to bona fide residents. The court directed the state govt to conduct a thorough inquiry into how full-fledged buildings were allowed to be constructed without sanction or intervention.In Bhubaneswar, misuse of residential buildings for commercial purposes has been a long-standing complaint, particularly in planned residential areas, posh colonies and apartment clusters. Residents have repeatedly flagged issues such as traffic congestion, parking chaos, noise pollution and strain on water and sewage infrastructure.Urban planners say the Supreme Court’s intervention could act as a turning point. “This is the first time the issue is being examined on a pan-India basis. Civic bodies will now be under direct judicial watch,” said Dipu Nanda, a city-based urban planner. The SC has asked municipal commissioners to file personally affirmed affidavits detailing violations.
