Camp Court Initiative Accelerates Justice Delivery Under ODA Act: 139 Appeal Cases Disposed in a Day

Bhubaneswar: In a significant push towards citizen-centric governance and timely redressal of public grievances, the Housing and Urban Development Department of Odisha today organized a Camp Court at UNNATI Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, for the speedy disposal of appeal cases under the Odisha Development Authorities (ODA) Act, 1982.

The special court was chaired by Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary to Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, who is the designated appellate authority for appeals related to the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC). The initiative is part of the directives issued by Hon’ble Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to promote a citizen-first approach in urban governance.

Out of over 700 pending appeals, a total of 139 cases were taken up and disposed of in a single day, marking a major step forward in reducing case backlog. These appeals involved citizen challenges to orders issued by urban development authorities under the provisions of the ODA Act.

To institutionalize and strengthen the appeal process further, the state government has authorized senior officers — including the Director of Municipal Administration, Special Secretaries, and Additional Secretaries — as appellate authorities to handle cases under the Act. This decentralized model is designed to enhance administrative efficiency and ensure faster grievance resolution.

Speaking on the initiative, Padhee emphasized the department’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and accountability. “This platform empowers citizens by ensuring their voices are heard and appeals are addressed with due diligence,” she said.

The Camp Court format has been well-received by the public and is likely to be replicated in subsequent phases to clear the remaining appeals in a time-bound manner, reinforcing the state’s commitment to responsive governance.