An illegal structure on government land being razed in Cuttack on Monday. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Nov. 25: Multiple encroachments along the Petanala area here have now been cleared. The encroachments had come in the way of construction of a major road in the CDA area.

The authorities of public works department’s roads and buildings division carried out the drive and nearly 20 illegal structures were demolished today.

Official sources said a lot of squatters had again encroached upon the government land that was earlier evicted to facilitate the construction work of the proposed road in 2012.

As a result, such encroachments in the Baranga tehsil had delayed the work of the major road at CDA.

The proposed 2.88km road will act as a link between CDA and Bidanasi with other important areas. Official sources said that the proposed four-lane road will start from Ashwini hospital and would extend up to CDA Sector-10.

Commuters, who regularly travel between the satellite township of CDA and other parts of Cuttack, would be able to reduce their travelling time after completion of the proposed road by 2015.

Though around 149 illegal encroachments in the form of houses were demolished during a joint eviction in 2012, the construction work for the proposed road could not begin owing to such re-encroachments.

The encroachments on the government land were cleared in the eviction drive that was carried out in two phases in June and July despite protests by local residents last year.

“There was delay in carrying out the necessary work following re-encroachment on the land that was cleared last year. However, remaining area that was re-encroached has been cleared in final phase of the eviction drive today,” said roads and buildings division assistant executive engineer M.R. Khan.

Khan said tenders for the proposed road had already been finalised and the total cost of the project is estimated to be around Rs 18.30 crore.