`We are trying our best to penalise the violators Vishal Kumar Dev vice-chairman, Bhubaneswar Development Authority

Bhubaneswar, June 7: The development authority has detected 222 structures that have violated building by-laws framed under the Odisha Development Authority Act, 1982.

These buildings include a mall near Khandagiri-Udaygiri caves and a medical college that has come up at an eco-sensitive zone on a riverbank.

Another private science college has also built an unsanctioned six-storey structure on the banks of the Kuakhai river on the outskirts of the city.

The Bhubaneswar Development Authority made a list of 15 important buildings, including a mall at Madhusudan Nagar. The original plan of the plot on which the mall had come up showed that it was meant to be a residential-cum-commercial complex. But after completion, the building had no provision for residential accommodation. There was also a violation of parking rules near the mall.

An official said a commercial complex at Ashok Nagar had come up near the natural drainage channel No. 6. The promoter developed a five-storey structure, violating the “zero tolerance policy” of the development authority.

Last April, the housing and urban development department had issued an order that directed the development authority not to spare encroachers on government land, drain and drainage channels and public roads.

A real-estate developer at Bankual near the Sai temple constructed four blocks of apartments without any approval from the development authority. Similarly, another real-estate developer has constructed two seven-storey housing blocks without the development authority’s nod.

The violators also include a major business establishment in Kharavela Nagar, a real-estate developer in Gobinda Prasad, a hotel in an eco-sensitive zone of Bhimpur, a hotel in Laxmisagar and a building construction project in Pandra.

In another development, the development authority has formed a demolition squad consisting of 29 persons. Except for some small structures, the squad has not been able to make much progress.

Sources said: “Legal issues are involved with the major violators. We are acting cautiously to ensure smooth operation.”

Vice-chairman of the development authority Vishal Kumar Dev said: “We are trying our best to penalise the violators. We held a meeting with our advocates a fortnight ago and brought the matter to the notice of the advocate-general.”

Officials of the development authority are contemplating taking the help of Indore-based expert S.B. Sarwate, who has so far carried out 200 major demolitions across the nation with the help of implosion technology. This technology uses controlled blasting techniques so that the required portions of buildings are demolished without causing damage to nearby structures.

On January 9, Sarwate had visited the city and interacted with officials of the development authority.