Odisha CRZ
Odisha State Coastal Zone Management Authority
Overview
The Odisha CRZ layer plots the Coastal Regulation Zone footprint along the state's 480 km coastline on the Bay of Bengal. It mirrors the Coastal Zone Management Plan approved by MoEFCC under CRZ Notification 2019 (G.S.R. 37(E)) for six coastal districts: Baleswar (80 km), Bhadrak (50 km), Kendrapara (68 km), Jagatsinghpur (67 km), Puri (155 km), and Ganjam (60 km). The Odisha State Coastal Zone Management Authority (OSCZMA) is the regulatory body. Odisha is one of the first four states with an MoEFCC-approved CZMP 2019. This page shows what falls inside CRZ-I, II, III A, III B, and IV across the Odisha coast.
Regulatory Red Flags Around Bhitarkanika, Gahirmatha and the Olive Ridley Nesting Belt
Odisha holds the world's largest known Olive Ridley sea turtle rookery at Gahirmatha. CRZ Notification 2019 paragraph 3.1 lists Bhitarkanika CVCA as a Critical Vulnerable Coastal Area, alongside Sundarban, Coringa, and Karwar. The Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary (1,435 sq km) was notified through Forest & Environment Department No. 18805/F\&E dated 27 September 1997, extending 20 km into the sea from Dhamra to the Mahanadi mouth.
The fact-pack on what each zone permits in Odisha, drawn from CRZ Notification 2019 and the approved Odisha CZMP.
CRZ-I A
Permitted Use
Bhitarkanika mangroves, Gahirmatha sanctuary, Chilika fringe, sand dunes, Olive Ridley nesting sites Gahirmatha Rushikulya
Requires CRZ Clearance?
No new construction; only utility
Prohibited Without?
Any building
Commonly Misrepresented?
Sold as "beach plots"
CRZ-I B
Permitted Use
Inter-tidal between LTL and HTL
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Salt works, pipelines only
Prohibited Without?
Houses, resorts
Commonly Misrepresented?
Marketed as "beachfront villas"
CRZ-II
Permitted Use
Built-up Puri, Konark, Gopalpur, Paradip municipal areas
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Yes, on landward side of existing road
Prohibited Without?
Construction on seaward side
Commonly Misrepresented?
Confused with CRZ-III rural
CRZ-III A
Permitted Use
Densely populated rural; No Development Zone (NDZ) 50 m from HTL
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Beyond NDZ only
Prohibited Without?
Construction inside 50 m
Commonly Misrepresented?
Quoted as "panchayat approved"
CRZ-III B
Permitted Use
Sparse rural; NDZ 200 m from HTL
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Beyond NDZ only
Prohibited Without?
Anything inside 200 m
Commonly Misrepresented?
Sold without 2011 census check
CRZ-IV A/B
Permitted Use
Sea up to 12 nautical miles + Chilika, Mahanadi, Devi tidal water bodies
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Fishing only
Prohibited Without?
Reclamation, dwellings
Commonly Misrepresented?
Sold as "lake-facing"
Zone Code
Permitted Use
Requires CRZ Clearance?
Prohibited Without?
Commonly Misrepresented?
CRZ-I A
Bhitarkanika mangroves, Gahirmatha sanctuary, Chilika fringe, sand dunes, Olive Ridley nesting sites Gahirmatha Rushikulya
No new construction; only utility
Any building
Sold as "beach plots"
CRZ-I B
Inter-tidal between LTL and HTL
Salt works, pipelines only
Houses, resorts
Marketed as "beachfront villas"
CRZ-II
Built-up Puri, Konark, Gopalpur, Paradip municipal areas
Yes, on landward side of existing road
Construction on seaward side
Confused with CRZ-III rural
CRZ-III A
Densely populated rural; No Development Zone (NDZ) 50 m from HTL
Beyond NDZ only
Construction inside 50 m
Quoted as "panchayat approved"
CRZ-III B
Sparse rural; NDZ 200 m from HTL
Beyond NDZ only
Anything inside 200 m
Sold without 2011 census check
CRZ-IV A/B
Sea up to 12 nautical miles + Chilika, Mahanadi, Devi tidal water bodies
Fishing only
Reclamation, dwellings
Sold as "lake-facing"
The Odisha-specific trap is the assumption that turtle nesting beaches are open to development between nesting seasons. The Odisha High Court in March 2021 directed the State to install transponders on all mechanised fishing vessels to protect Olive Ridley turtles. About 800 turtles died in January 2021 alone. If a parcel sits in the Devi river mouth, Rushikulya estuary, or anywhere within 20 km of Gahirmatha, the operative restriction is the Marine Sanctuary boundary, not just CRZ.
Growth Corridors From Talasari to Gopalpur Across the Six Coastal Districts
Odisha's coast splits into three personalities. The northern Baleswar-Bhadrak stretch (Talasari, Chandipur) is largely CRZ-III B with port-led growth. The central deltaic belt (Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur) is mangrove-dominated CRZ-I A around Bhitarkanika and CRZ-II inside Paradip. The southern Puri-Ganjam stretch holds the most active tourism market, with the Paradip Dhamra Gopalpur ports triangle anchoring industrial demand. The World Bank ICZM Project covered two specific stretches: Gopalpur-Chilika and Paradip-Dhamra.
The corridors most asked about, mapped against CRZ classification under the approved Odisha CZMP.
Talasari, Chandipur, Bichitrapur
Zone (Odisha CZMP 2019)
CRZ-III B + CRZ-I A (mudflats)
Growth Driver
Tourism, low-volume coastal
Known Risk
NDZ 200 m; horseshoe crab habitat
Dhamra-Bhitarkanika belt
Zone (Odisha CZMP 2019)
CRZ-I A (CVCA) + Notified Port limits
Growth Driver
Dhamra Port, industrial
Known Risk
Blanket CVCA restriction; turtle buffer 15 km
Paradip city + port
Zone (Odisha CZMP 2019)
CRZ-II + Notified Port limits
Growth Driver
Major port, refining, fertilizer
Known Risk
Construction only landward of existing roads
Konark-Puri stretch
Zone (Odisha CZMP 2019)
CRZ-II + CRZ-III B mix
Growth Driver
Pilgrimage, Konark UNESCO, beach tourism
Known Risk
NDZ enforced; Jagannath temple buffer
Chilika lagoon fringe (Puri, Khurdha, Ganjam)
Zone (Odisha CZMP 2019)
CRZ-I A + CRZ-IV B (Ramsar 1981)
Growth Driver
Tourism, fishing, dolphin spotting
Known Risk
Wetland buffer; 1,100 sq km lagoon
Rushikulya river mouth
Zone (Odisha CZMP 2019)
CRZ-I A (mass nesting site)
Growth Driver
Olive Ridley conservation
Known Risk
Mass nesting Nov-April; construction blocked
Gopalpur-Chilika belt
Zone (Odisha CZMP 2019)
CRZ-II + CRZ-III B
Growth Driver
Gopalpur Port, beach tourism
Known Risk
Sand drift 1.5 million tonnes/year northeast
Corridor / Locality
Zone (Odisha CZMP 2019)
Growth Driver
Known Risk
Talasari, Chandipur, Bichitrapur
CRZ-III B + CRZ-I A (mudflats)
Tourism, low-volume coastal
NDZ 200 m; horseshoe crab habitat
Dhamra-Bhitarkanika belt
CRZ-I A (CVCA) + Notified Port limits
Dhamra Port, industrial
Blanket CVCA restriction; turtle buffer 15 km
Paradip city + port
CRZ-II + Notified Port limits
Major port, refining, fertilizer
Construction only landward of existing roads
Konark-Puri stretch
CRZ-II + CRZ-III B mix
Pilgrimage, Konark UNESCO, beach tourism
NDZ enforced; Jagannath temple buffer
Chilika lagoon fringe (Puri, Khurdha, Ganjam)
CRZ-I A + CRZ-IV B (Ramsar 1981)
Tourism, fishing, dolphin spotting
Wetland buffer; 1,100 sq km lagoon
Rushikulya river mouth
CRZ-I A (mass nesting site)
Olive Ridley conservation
Mass nesting Nov-April; construction blocked
Gopalpur-Chilika belt
CRZ-II + CRZ-III B
Gopalpur Port, beach tourism
Sand drift 1.5 million tonnes/year northeast
The most misunderstood corridor is the Konark-Puri stretch. Buyers see "Marine Drive" infrastructure and assume CRZ classification has loosened. Puri district holds 155 km of coastline, the longest of any Odisha district, and most parcels outside the municipal limits sit in CRZ-III B with 200 m NDZ. Approvals from Puri Konark Development Authority do not substitute for OSCZMA clearance through the Parivesh portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Odisha CRZ and how does it apply to my plot?
Odisha CRZ** covers the entire 480 km coastline within 500 metres of HTL, plus 50 metres along tidal water bodies including Chilika and Mahanadi. It is governed by CRZ Notification 2019 and the Odisha CZMP approved by MoEFCC, applicable across all six coastal districts.
How do I check if my plot in coastal Odisha falls under CRZ?
Match your survey number against the approved Odisha CZMP map available from OSCZMA at sczmaodisha.org. The classification will read CRZ-I A, CRZ-I B, CRZ-II, CRZ-III A, CRZ-III B, or CRZ-IV. Maps are scaled at 1:4000 for clearance applications.
Can I build a house near Puri or Gopalpur beach?
Yes, but only beyond the NDZ in CRZ-III, on the landward side of existing roads in CRZ-II. OSCZMA clearance through Parivesh portal is mandatory regardless of PKDA, Konark, or Berhampur Development Authority approvals. CRZ-I parcels (mangroves, dunes, CVCA) cannot be built on.
What is the No Development Zone for Odisha CRZ-III?
NDZ in CRZ-III A and CRZ-III B depends on Census 2011 density. CRZ-III A villages (above 2,161 per sq km) get 50 m. CRZ-III B villages get 200 m. Along Mahanadi, Devi, Rushikulya, and Bahuda creeks, NDZ is 50 m or creek width, whichever is less.
Who gives CRZ clearance in Odisha?
OSCZMA recommends clearance for CRZ-II and CRZ-III projects through the Parivesh portal under MoEFCC F.No. IA3-12/1/2022-IA.III dated 29.11.2022. CRZ-I and CRZ-IV proposals require MoEFCC clearance at the Centre. The Authority also tracks listed CRZ violations.
Is Bhitarkanika listed as a CVCA under CRZ 2019?
Yes. CRZ Notification 2019 paragraph 3.1 names Bhitarkanika as a Critical Vulnerable Coastal Area. The Bhitarkanika mangroves are Asia's second-largest mangrove ecosystem. The adjoining Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary (1,435 sq km) protects Olive Ridley nesting sites Gahirmatha Rushikulya with strict CRZ-I A restrictions.
Is the Odisha CZMP 2019 approved by MoEFCC?
Yes. Odisha was among the first four states with an approved CZMP under CRZ Notification 2019, alongside Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala. The approval was confirmed by MoEFCC submissions to NGT in January 2024. Until approval, CRZ 2011 provisions applied.
Can NRIs buy plots in coastal Odisha CRZ areas?
Yes for non-agricultural land, subject to FEMA rules and OSCZMA clearance for any construction. Agricultural land purchase by NRIs faces standard RBI restrictions. CRZ classification including the Chilika lagoon CRZ buffer does not bar ownership but freezes development rights inside NDZ.
Disclaimer
Data Source & Verification
Source
Official Odisha State Coastal Zone Management Authority documents
Official Website
www.odisha.gov.in
Coordinate Reference System
EPSG:4326 (WGS 84)
Geometry Type
Polygon / MultiPolygon
Data Format
Vector (GeoJSON) + Raster Tiles
Last Verified
2026
Status
Active