Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has announced a citywide plan for Durga Puja 2026, combining waived land rent for government plots, restrictions on single-use plastic, temporary immersion ponds, road repairs and expanded crowd-management measures across the capital.
The preparations were outlined during a coordination meeting involving the BMC, Commissionerate Police and more than 170 puja committees. The administration said the objective is to ensure a smooth and safe festival for residents and visitors while reducing pressure on public spaces, roads and nearby water bodies.
Under the decision announced at the meeting, puja committees using government plots and spaces will not have to pay land rent. The measure, introduced by the government led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, is intended to reduce the financial burden on organisers. The coordination process is being led by BMC Mayor Sulochana Das, according to the report.
The civic body has also directed puja committees to make their mandaps eco-friendly. Single-use plastic and polythene bags have been prohibited at pandals and in surrounding areas. The restriction places responsibility on organisers and visitors to manage festive activity without adding disposable plastic waste to public spaces.
Idol immersion is being shifted away from the Daya and Kuakhai rivers. The BMC is constructing temporary artificial ponds where immersions will take place, in a move aimed at limiting pollution in the city’s water bodies. The report does not specify the number, locations or capacity of the ponds, or the arrangements for transporting idols and managing the sites after immersion.
Sanitation arrangements will be expanded around the pandals. The BMC has installed additional dustbins and is deploying dedicated sanitation workers for morning and evening cleaning shifts. These measures are intended to address the increase in waste generated by large gatherings and extended festival activity.
The civic body is also undertaking repairs on pothole-ridden and damaged arterial roads, with the work linked to deterioration caused by recent monsoon rains. Streetlights across Bhubaneswar are being repaired, while temporary lighting is being arranged in darker lanes to improve visibility for people travelling between pandals at night.
Safety planning will involve the BMC, Commissionerate Police and puja committees. The arrangements include traffic management, CCTV cameras and crowd-control strategies. The report does not provide details on the number of cameras, traffic diversions, deployment strength or emergency-response protocols.
The city’s festival preparations therefore place public infrastructure and environmental controls alongside celebration arrangements. Their effectiveness will depend on whether the temporary facilities, sanitation shifts, lighting repairs and traffic measures are completed before crowds intensify, and on how consistently the restrictions are implemented at individual pandals. The BMC, police and organisers are expected to continue coordination ahead of the festival.
