The state government has decided to demolish all unsafe buildings in the millennium city of Cuttack after last month’s collapse of a balcony in an apartment that killed three persons, including a four-year-old boy.

The balcony of the five-storey building had collapsed onto a cluster of houses, causing an asbestos roof to cave in and trapping at least five members of a family beneath the rubble. Three of them had succumbed to their injuries later. The incident triggered widespread concern and renewed scrutiny of old structures across Cuttack — the oldest city of the state, characterised by narrow lanes, congested neighbourhoods and numerous old, poorly maintained buildings now posing serious safety risks.

Housing and urban development minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra told the Odisha Assembly that all unsafe buildings within the Cuttack Municipal Corporation limits will be demolished. “The state government has constituted a special committee to identify unsafe buildings. The committee is conducting surveys across the city to assess the structural safety of old buildings,” Mohapatra said.

He added: “Once the survey is completed, action will be taken as per law. Unsafe buildings will receive notices, and if owners fail to respond or comply, demolition will be carried out to ensure public safety.”

Sources said the government is examining all legal aspects before beginning demolitions and is also considering a compensation plan for residents willing to vacate structurally weak buildings. Officials pointed to the successful demolition and clearance drive around the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, where people vacated their properties after receiving substantial compensation. “We are planning a similar compensation package,” a source said.

Unsafe and dilapidated structures are not confined to Cuttack and Puri. Several parts of the state, including the capital city of Bhubaneswar, face similar risks. Old Bhubaneswar — the core heritage zone — remains particularly vulnerable.