Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has initiated its town planning (TP) scheme implementation in Dasapur and Malipada areas, covering a total of 846 acres. This is TP scheme Nos. 5, 6 and 7, which fall in zone I of the BDA. The TP scheme implementation holds importance as BDA has already proposed to develop a Bhubaneswar New City in the same area, which will cover 400 hectares of land.As part of the initiation process, the BDA recently issued a request for proposal to select a firm that will aid the development authority in planning, designing and executing the TP scheme in Dasapur and Malipada. BDA officials said that the selected firm, with experience in planning, design and implementation of TP schemes, will be responsible for preparing designs as per the scope of work and assisting the BDA in planning, designing and implementing the schemes in this area.“We progressed a lot in the TP scheme implementation recently. This time, the focus remained on completing the three schemes in Dasapur and Malipada. We already held a public hearing event for the landowners of the area,” vice chairman (BDA) N. Thirumala Naik said.Last Dec, BDA initiated the town planning scheme implementation in Zone IV, covering 14 schemes in the Dhauli and Tamando areas. The entire 14 schemes in this stretch cover a total of 2,496 acres of land. The BDA has divided the city into four zones and is implementing a total of 45 TP schemes covering 58 revenue villages. The BDA has planned to acquire the required land for the ambitious inner ring road project from the areas under the TP scheme.Under the TP Scheme framework, landowners contributed 40% of their land for infrastructure development while retaining 60% as TP area. The developed areas feature 9-metre-wide roads and essential utilities, including drainage, water supply, sewerage, and electricity connectivity.The state govt recently announced the implementation of the TP scheme in other cities, including Sambalpur and Berhampur. Several bureaucrats and researchers have also continued to visit the TP scheme sites in Bhubaneswar recently to understand the implementation process.“The BDA is setting an example in the implementation of the TP scheme. The scheme is a win-win situation for both residents and authorities. Our implementation method is unique, which is why officials from different places are visiting the site,” a BDA official said.