Odisha: 3rd Meeting of Empowered Committee on Asset Management of BSCL Held

Bhubaneswar: The 3rd Meeting of the Empowered Committee on Asset Management of Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) was convened today at the 3rd Floor Conference Hall of Kharavela Bhawan, under the chairpersonship Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department.

The meeting was convened in the backdrop of the formal closure of the Smart Cities Mission on 31st March 2025, to discuss the way forward for managing, maintaining, and leveraging the extensive infrastructure and urban assets created under the Mission in Bhubaneswar.

During the meeting, members of the Committee held detailed discussions on the long-term sustainability of smart city assets and deliberated on a structured asset management strategy to ensure optimal functionality and financial viability of these facilities. The Committee acknowledged that while the Smart Cities Mission had succeeded in transforming urban spaces through innovative, sustainable, and inclusive models, the post-mission phase would now require focused efforts to ensure upkeep, utilization, and monetization of the developed infrastructure.

BSCL will be replica for other cities of Odisha like a light house to other aspiring cities.

Key issues discussed during the meeting included strategies for sharing user fees collected from public assets such as MLCPs (Multi-Level Car Parking structures), streetscapes, and public plazas were examined to ensure regular revenue inflow for BSCL , Proposals for allowing advertisement rights in MLCPs and converting unused parking floors into commercial spaces to enhance revenue generation were reviewed, reimbursement mechanisms for capital expenditures already incurred, and sustainable financing for ongoing operational costs such as energy charges and Annual Maintenance Contracts (AMC) were explored. Further the refurbishment and modernization of digital kiosks installed across the city were discussed to ensure they remain functional and user-friendly, rationalization of manpower and administrative streamlining within BSCL was suggested to align the organization’s structure with its emerging role post-mission.

It was noted with concern that BSCL is currently bearing the entire burden of recurring expenses, such as electricity bills and maintenance costs, especially since the defect liability periods of most projects have already expired. This has placed a significant financial strain on the company, necessitating urgent planning and support for sustainable asset management.

Among others Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Commissioner, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation , S. Debadutta Singh, Commissioner of Police, Cuttack-Bhubaneswar , Manoj V. Nayar, Director, Nandankanan Zoological Park , Dharanidhar Nanda , Special Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Gurucharan Das, Managing Director, WATCO , Purandar Nanda, General Manager, BSCL , representative of Tourism dept and other senior officers attended the meeting.

The Empowered Committee emphasized the need for strong inter-agency coordination, innovative financing mechanisms, and efficient governance to safeguard and maximize the value of assets created under the Smart Cities Mission. The outcomes of today’s meeting will serve as the foundation for drafting a comprehensive asset management roadmap for BSCL in the coming months.