Municipal workers demolish encroachments at Badambadi in Cuttack. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, April 25: The municipal corporation on Friday razed illegal roadside kiosks that had come up at the busy Badambadi junction during the second phase of its eviction drive here today.

Over 120 roadside encroachments were cleared during the drive that is being carried out following the high court orders, a senior official said.

Most of the roadside encroachments from Badambadi to Madhupatna police station were cleared during the eviction drive that has been launched to decongest major roads encroached upon by roadside vendors.

Besides, the encroachments on drainage channels were also cleared to facilitate the annual de-silting operation that is likely to begin in the city shortly.

“We will soon chalk out a detailed strategy to carry out similar drives to clear roads and drainage channels at the earliest,” said corporation secretary Laxmidhar Nath.

Civic officials said most of the kiosks that sold fruits, garments and other articles had encroached on drains in front of Palamandap, Jayshree talkies and near Grand Residency hotel.

Several localities usually face problems due to acute waterlogging because such unauthorised business establishments dump their waste in the drains that consequently get clogged.

Local residents allege that despite several complaints, the civic body last year had not taken any steps to remove silt from most of the drainage channels from in front of the Badambadi bus stand.

“We hope that the all the drainage channels at Badambadi are properly de-silted before the monsoon because we have been facing lot of problems because of waterlogging here,” said Subrat Prasad Das, a resident of Arunodayanagar.

Apart from street vendors, a lot of shop owners have also encroached on the road at Badambadi and a lot of unauthorised hoardings have come up at the major junction.

“We have also received complaints regarding encroachment by a large number of shop owners and steps will be taken to demolish such structures at the earliest,” Nath said.

Dilip Patra, a commuter, said: “Though the civic body had launched a similar drive last year, many vendors just came back and rebuilt their kiosks. Instead of evicting them repeatedly, the corporation should come up with vending zones in the city,” said Dilip Patra, a commuter.

Though the civic body had planned to clear the encroachments on both sides of the road today, it was not possible because of the unbearable heat.

Corporation sources said all the roadside encroachments from the Badamabadi bus stand side to Link road in front of Vishal Hotel side would be razed shortly.