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| A bulldozer pulls down a structure that has encroached on a portion of the main road in Kendrapara township. Telegraph picture |
Kendrapara, Feb. 18: The Kendrapara district administration has launched a drive to free the township from roadside encroachments.
Roadside concrete structures were bulldozed to ensure unhindered vehicular and pedestrian movement.
“Drive to evict the squatters has been undertaken to widen the township’s main road. The Rs 8-crore project involves widening of the stretch between Tinimuhani junction and Angulai. The project’s tender bidding process is over. Road laying would resume shortly after ousting the squatters,” said Kendrapara collector Ratnakar Rout.
The eviction drive has been protest-free. With the encroached area being done away with, wider passage has been created for pedestrian and vehicular traffic movement, said an official.
The 7-km stretch has been encroached upon at various strategic locations. The eviction drive will be intensified further to other encroached areas, Rout said.
Notices had been served to the encroachers before the demolition of permanent structures, said an official.
The drive did not spare even the encroachment by government offices. The boundary wall of the public health engineering department was pulled down. The concrete fencing of the national highway division office was also bulldozed. The boundary wall of co-operative bank was also bulldozed, said tehsildar Dharitri Mishra.
The drive has elicited positive response from various walks of life.
“The eviction drive is a praiseworthy step by the district administration. In the past, such drive had been undertaken. But it failed. The operation had been stopped midway due to alleged political interference,” said local resident Ardhendu Dash.
“Earlier, it was seen that the evicted areas were re-encroached. The authorities, therefore, need to undertake the road widening immediately to avert possible reoccupation of the government land,” said another local resident, Gopal Prasad Hota.
Dearth of land is a major impediment for the infrastructure growth of the township. Large areas in and around the township are besieged with unauthorised human settlements.
The illegal settlers in other areas are being served eviction order. The eviction exercise would be launched in other parts in a phased manner.
The acquired land could be judiciously used for public utility and infrastructure development, Rout said.