Cuttack, Dec. 31: The municipal corporation has banned the functioning of five of the six kalyan mandaps (banquet halls) at Barabati Stadium.
"We imposed the ban as they came up on leasehold land which had been provided for other purposes," municipal commissioner Gyana Das told The Telegraph today.
The state government had granted on lease to Odisha Olympic Association (OOA) 20.808 acres to build the stadium in 1949. While being the custodian of Barabati Stadium, the OOA had since come up with the banquet halls - Club House, Barabati Guest House, Horse Gate Barabati, OCA Club and Tendulkar Bhavan and Barabati Palace.
The OOA is the apex sports body for state association for different games - football, hockey, table tennis, basketball among others as well as district associations.
"Initially, showcause notices were issued in connection with the five banquet halls and the OOA was asked to submit no objection certificates from the government within three months. Subsequently, we were left with no option but to impose the restriction as no response was received within the stipulated time," Das said.
The Cuttack Municipal Corporation has implemented a new policy to regulate the functioning of kalyan mandaps. The guidelines formulated for the first time had defined the eligibility criteria for a licence to run banquet halls. The new guideline had made earmarking 40 per cent of the built-up area for parking and NOC from the government in case of leasehold land "a statutory requirement".
Field inspection for grant of licence has been over on the information supplied in all the 113 applications received by the corporation. "We have finally granted permission in 50 cases. In case of Barabati Stadium area, only Barabati Palace has been allowed to function as it has an approved building plan for kalyan mandap," additional commissioner Suman Behera said.
OOA officials said they were yet to receive any ban order in connection with the five other kalyan mandaps at Barabati Stadium. OOA president Samir Dey, however, said: "Steps are being taken to get the NOCs for functioning of the banquet halls."
The civic body had rejected the applications of 12 of the 13 kalyan mandaps except for the much sought-after Windsor Palace that had come up at Markatnagar, the satellite township developed under plotted scheme by the Cuttack Development Authority.
