The eviction drive on at Kharavela Nagar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 2: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) today conducted an eviction drive at Kharavela Nagar to facilitate the construction of a road in the area. The authorities demolished six temporary shops that had come up on an encroached land.

Though the civic authorities had informed the residents about the eviction drive two days ago, the local residents opposed the move. They gathered at the spot and did not allow the bulldozer to enter the area. Later, the drive was completed with the help of the police. The construction of the road had been delayed for four months because of the illegal encroachments.

Encroachments in and around this area have affected the construction of two roads. Work on the road connecting Sriya Square and Ramakrishna Leprosy Colony, which is being built at an estimated cost of Rs 22 lakh, has been moving at a snail’s pace because of this. Illegal encroachments have also hampered the work on the road connecting Master Canteen Square and Satyanagar.

Local councillor Guru Charan Sahoo said the authorities had carried out eviction drives in the past but the encroachers come back and block the road again.

“Non-cooperation from the residents is responsible for the delay in construction of roads in the area. Indiscriminate dumping of waste have also blocked various drainage channels in the area,” said Sahoo.

However, the local residents accused the civic authorities of being responsible for the delay in road construction. “We have never opposed the road construction but the civic authorities must expedite the process,” said Sudhakar Patra, a local businessman.

The encroachments, especially by ragpickers, around this area are responsible for the clogging of drainage channel No. 5, which starts from Gurudwara. So acute is the problem of drainage in the area that it takes only an occasional shower for water to start overflowing.

On December 14, 2011, The Telegraph had reported on the delay in the road construction in this area because of illegal encroachments.

Recovery officer of BMC Sumita Behera said the eviction drive would continue.

“It is illegal to occupy the road and construction is suffering because of this. We will also conduct an eviction drive at major roadsides of the city,” said Behera.