Encroached conservancy lanes in government colonies in Bhubaneswar’s Unit-III and (above) Unit-VIII areas. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 3: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to demolish all illegal structures in the conservancy lanes — space between rows of houses — of the capital.

Conservancy lanes were meant for channelling sewerage water through underground pipes and taking up repair work whenever required. However, these lanes are now being occupied by encroachers who have set up temporary shelters on these.

The decision to evict the encroachers from these areas was taken today at a meeting of the city management group (CMG) comprising representatives of the BMC, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), the general administration (GA) department and the city police. The meeting felt that the conservancy lanes were turning into mini slums with unhygienic surrounding.

Another major worrying factor for the civic authorities was that these had become breeding grounds of mosquitoes. Criminals were also taking shelter in the hutments that have grown up here. The CMG meeting today decided to carry out the drive in all the government colonies besides areas like Ashok Nagar.

“In many areas of Ashok Nagar, the conservancy lanes have become virtually non-existent. They have choked the drains and sewerage networks also. Same is the scenario in many other areas as well as on both the sides of the city’s busiest commercial area — Janpath,’’ said a senior official of the BMC.

Officials admit that the mushrooming of slums in different parts of the city remains a major problem. “Regular intervention is necessary to get rid of slums,” said a BMC official.

“The BMC has decided evict the encroachers from the conservancy lanes during the its ongoing eviction drive. The eviction drive will continue till the third week of the month. The drive in these lanes would be taken up during the afternoons with necessary assistance from the police. The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has also assured us of logistical support for this purpose,’’ said municipal commissioner Vishal Kumar Dev.

He added that police stations in different areas have been asked to be prepared for additional deployment of police personnel during the drive.

Regarding other decisions taken at the CMG meeting today, Dev said that on Thursday there would be a joint inspection of localities along the Janpath for the proposed construction of two overbridges to ease traffic pressure on the roads of the capital. The inspecting team would comprise officials of traffic police, works department, GA department, the BMC and the BDA. Overbridges may also come up in the areas near the Rama Devi Women’s College and Master Canteen in future.

The same inspection team will also inspect and decide the place to be demarcated as the parking area for auto-rickshaws. In August last year, the auto-rickshaw owners had launched an agitation demanding parking space for their vehicles.

“The parking area illegally used by the mini-truck owners between Kalpana Square and Rajmahal Square will be demolished. The land belongs to the GA department. There is a plan to take up a beautification project along the stretch,’’ said Dev.