Encroachments at Acharya Vihar being razed for road expansion work in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, June 10: The authorities today razed houses and religious structures built on government land and the drain between Jayadev Vihar and Ekamrakanan.

The encroached upon land was meant for construction of roads and footpath.

The land was required for road expansion and the encroachers had refused to move out earlier.

With the today’s demolition drive, it is expected that the expansion project of the road connecting Jayadev Vihar to CRP Square will now get a shot in the arm.

Encroachments and the narrow road was creating a problem for residents of VIP Colony, Ekamra Villa and other residential areas along the road as well as for thousands of commuters using this road.

During rath yatra and Dussehra every year, traffic on the nearby national highway is also diverted through this road.

The joint eviction drive was conducted today by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), the general administration department and the roads and buildings wing of the public works department along with police.

Some 100 concrete as well as thatched and asbestos houses and a religious place were demolished after the authorities gave some time to the dwellers to take away their belongings from their dwellings.

“The roads and buildings wing wants to widen the existing road and construct footpath and drains on the land,” said BDA enforcement officer Deba Prasad Dash.

Officials in the roads and buildings wing said that the existing road was 40-feet wide and there was a plan to expand it to 100 feet with a dedicated footpath, a cycle track and a drainage system.

The public works department had widened the road between Jayadev Vihar to Biju Patnaik College.

The stretch between the May Fair Square to Ekamra Kanan was lying encroached on both sides.

Local councillor Mansirani Sundaray, who was on the spot, said that she would try to rehabilitate the slum dwellers.