Bhubaneswar: City Mayor Sulochana Das today said the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) will demolish unauthorized apartments in Odisha capital if the State Government provides compensation in this regard.

The mayor's statement came a day after Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra said in the Assembly that there are around 689 illegally constructed apartments in Bhubaneswar.

Many builders have sold the plots and fled, leaving the BMC with limited control over these developments. These constructions were initially under the jurisdiction of panchayats but have now come under the BMC's control. Numerous natural water bodies have been encroached upon, leading to severe drainage problems in the areas, said Das.

The BMC is committed to adhering to the government's decisions regarding these illegal constructions. However, the corporation lacks the funds to compensate for the demolitions, the mayor said.

If the government provides compensation, the BMC will proceed with the demolition of these unauthorized apartments. Upon receiving official government orders, the BMC will take the necessary actions to demolish the illegal structures, she said.