According to officials on Monday, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started the official process of extending its administrative limits, proposing to include 71 villages spread across 14 panchayats located on the fringes of the city.
Sources claim that the BMC Commissioner has already received village-level reports from three blocks. Only after obtaining the Housing and Urban Development Department's approval of the merger's viability can the company move forward with it.
Although the goal of the move is to better urban government in outlying areas, questions have been raised about resource management, infrastructural preparedness, and representation in civic administration when the merger is finalised.

According to reports, the first list being considered would give the BMC power over villages in Tamando, Dhauli, Lingipur, Raghunathpur, Daruthenga, Andharua, Daspur, Gothapatna, and a few panchayats in Balianta and Jatni.
According to sources, the plan encompasses a total of 14 panchayats, or more than 70 villages that have provided the necessary data for the merger process.
Expansion of Bhubaneswar Only After Careful Thought
Representatives from a number of villages have already submitted their details indicating their interest in joining the municipal body, according to BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana in an interview with OTV.
"The corporation will do a thorough feasibility analysis on infrastructure needs and expenses for the outlying communities that have applied, but not all of them have.

We will send the proposal to the state government if the study is favourable, Rana stated.
As part of the paperwork, block-level video recordings of three blocks' worth of gramme sabha resolutions have been submitted to the commissioner's office.
Local Issues and Assistance
Residents' responses to the project have been conflicting. Concerns about increased municipal taxes and losing direct access to elected panchayat officials were expressed by a few villagers. According to a Girijaput resident, the village today enjoys reduced taxes under the panchayat system and simpler access to the sarpanch.

"Under BMC, requests may take longer; we have roads and local access now," he stated.
Babu Singh, a Bhubaneswar Ekamra MLA, countered that the merger will enhance vital services. "Inclusion will accelerate the delivery of drinking water, sewerage, and drainage infrastructure, which are frequently delayed under gramme panchayat management," stated Babu Singh.
Planning and Administrative Rezoning
In order to handle the expanded region, BMC has separately suggested expanding its administrative zones from three to six. In its submission, the corporation suggests creating a Town Planning zone and a New City zone.
According to officials, the Tamando, Dhauli, and Raghunathpur sectors may constitute a separate zone, while the northern zone will be reorganised along the Jayadev Vihar–Nandankanan line.

Timeline for the Process and Upcoming Steps
The video reports and gramme sabha decisions have been sent to the Khordha district administration for approval, and the Housing and Urban Development Department has been briefed.
BMC will submit a formal proposal for approval to the state government if the department grants clearance after the feasibility assessment. Until administrative notifications and statutory approvals are received, no final border adjustment will be put into effect.
According to BMC officials, continued population increase and urban sprawl are the driving forces behind this project, which is the first significant boundary review in Bhubaneswar's planning history in more than 70 years.