A police officer inspects the eviction drive. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, April 29: Tension prevailed in BDA colony Phase I in Chandrasekharpur today as Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) carried out a joint demolition drive in the area. Police had to chase away the vendors opposing the move.

The authorities demolished more than 20 shops and illegal structure, which had encroached upon the road. The drive began around 11am with two bulldozers getting into action. Vendors said they had no prior information about the drive.

“We had no information that the drive would carried out today. The authorities started the eviction without giving us time to save our goods,” said Kalu Behera, a vendor.

However, the authorities said they had earlier issued notices to these people to remove their illegal structures from the roadsides.

“They had occupied portions of the road making it congested. Despite several notices, they took no steps. So, we were forced to take this step,” said S. Dhanwar, enforcement officer of BDA, who was in charge of the drive.

The vendors protested the drive by obstructing the path of the bulldozers.

The city police that have been part of the City Management Group — responsible for development work in the city — were deployed.

The vendors also complained that the authorities had carried out the drive without thinking of rehabilitating them.

“They demolished my shop that was my only source of income. What I will do now?” asked Sunil Dhal, a grocer.

BMC mayor Anant Narayan Jena said today’s drive was headed by BDA and BMC was accompanying them. “The authorities will think about rehabilitating the shopkeepers,” he said.