Bhubaneswar New City (New City Development Scheme) — Master Plan Status

What the project is — and isn't, yet

Bhubaneswar New City (referred to in official material as the "New City Development" scheme, and informally as the Gothapatna-Malipada-Daspur Township or New Bhubaneswar Township) is a proposed greenfield extension of Bhubaneswar. The Odisha Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, gave in-principle approval to the New City Development scheme, which proposes the creation of a modern and inclusive urban hub within Bhubaneswar Development Plan Area (BDPA), with the New City to come up on 800 acres of land in Gothapatna, Malipada and Daspur mouzas. The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has been designated as the nodal agency for implementation of the project.

Important distinction: this is a Cabinet-approved scheme with a consultant now drafting the actual master plan — it is not yet a notified, legally binding land-use plan. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 17 January 2025 between BDA and Surbana Jurong Infrastructure PTE Limited, and by early January 2026 the draft scope of services for preparation of the New City Master Plan was finalised. BDA formally signed the master-plan preparation agreement with Surbana Jurong at end-March 2026. A stakeholder consultation and kick-off meeting for preparation of the master plan was held on 29 May 2026 under the Housing and Urban Development Department.

Total planned area vs. area developed by a target year

Only the total gross footprint is currently public — a phase-wise or year-wise breakdown of how many hectares will be developed by any specific year has not been released.

• The proposed new city will be developed over nearly 800 acres within the Bhubaneswar Development Plan Area (BDPA), covering Gothapatna, Malipada, and Daspur mouzas.
• A separate BDA estimate puts the figure more precisely at 821.964 acres for the ₹8,000-crore New City plan.
• At least one later report describes the footprint as spanning Daspur, Gothapatna, Mallipada, and Andharua, suggesting the boundary may have been adjusted or extended in planning discussions.

No figure for area "developed by" a specific interim year (e.g., by 2030 or 2032) is available in public records as of July 2026. This page will be updated once BDA or Surbana Jurong publish a phased land-development schedule.

Land-use split

A percentage-wise land-use split (residential/commercial/industrial/green space, etc.) has not yet been published for this project. The agreed scope of work for the consultant includes preparation of a comprehensive Urban Design Framework and Guidelines outlining the overall spatial and development structure of the city, with detailed design guidance for developable areas, focus areas, catalytic projects, the city centre, anchor developments, public spaces, and schematic guidelines for forest and other non-developable areas. Until this framework is finalised and released, any specific percentage breakdown would be speculative and is deliberately omitted here.

Phasing and planning horizon

There is no confirmed hectare-by-hectare phase schedule yet, but two related timelines are documented:

• Funding phase 1 (FY2025-26 to FY2029-30): the project requires investment of Rs 8,179 crore over the next 15 years, of which the state government will allocate Rs 1,342 crore in the first five years, to be used for land acquisition, road construction, core utility infrastructure, public amenities and administrative contingencies.
• Master-plan preparation phase (2025–2026): under the agreed scope, Surbana Jurong will undertake projectisation of the New City Master Plan, identifying priority projects across short, medium and long-term horizons with defined objectives, scope, timelines and schematic urban design, and will also provide technical handholding for preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).

The overarching planning horizon referenced by officials is the state's Vikshit Odisha 2036 vision. Officials describe the project as a multi-economic growth zone aligned with the state's long-term vision Vikshit Odisha 2036.

Population and employment targets

Two very different population figures have appeared in official and press statements, and it is important not to conflate them:

• A November 2024 BDA plan for the New City on 821.964 acres described a residential facility for around 2 lakh (200,000) people. Officials at the time also said the city would target being a solar city with around 60 percent of consumption from solar power.
• A separate, much larger figure — that the wider BDPA is anticipated to accommodate a projected population of over 2 million by 2036 — refers to the whole Bhubaneswar Development Plan Area, not to the New City site alone, and should not be read as the New City's own population target.
• One later, undated industry report cites a smaller near-term figure: the township accommodating up to 15,000 housing units and 60,000 residents, with a Detailed Project Report reported to be under preparation. This may reflect an initial phase rather than the full build-out, and has not been corroborated by an official BDA release — treat it as provisional.

No specific job-creation or employment number has been officially published. Officials have said only in general terms that the project is projected to generate employment opportunities, attract investments, and promote inclusive growth by ensuring access to affordable housing and essential community facilities for all sections of society.

Planner / consultant

Surbana Jurong Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. (SJI), Singapore, is providing consultancy services for preparing the master plan and advisory support for urban infrastructure development for the Greenfield township. A market feasibility study for the project has already been conducted with the assistance of global consultancy firm JLL. BDA's internal team includes a Deputy Commissioner and Nodal Officer for the New City, an Associate Town Planner and an Assistant Town Planner, supported by a Project Management Unit (PMU).

Land acquisition and on-ground status

According to the Housing and Urban Development Minister, BDA had already started the land-acquisition process for the project as of late 2024. Beyond this, no notified draft land-use plan, Town Planning (TP) Scheme, or RERA registration specific to this New City site has been found in public records as of July 2026.

Where to find official documents

No standalone master-plan PDF for the New City Development scheme has been published yet. For updates as the master plan progresses, check:

• BDA's official website and its notifications/gazette section for the New City Development scheme.
• BDA's GIS/planning portal, Bhubaneswar One, which hosts other BDA planning documents (e.g., the draft Comprehensive Development Plan for the extended BDPA) and may host the New City master plan once finalised.
• Official Odisha government press releases from the Housing & Urban Development Department, which have announced each milestone (MoU, Cabinet approval, scope finalisation, agreement signing, kick-off meeting) to date.

This page will be updated with direct document links once BDA formally notifies or publishes the New City master plan.