Cuttack, March 9: Land measuring 2.703 acres leased out to the Odisha Olympic Association (OOA) inside the Barabati Stadium complex was taken back and recorded as government land today.

The state government had granted on lease 20.808 acres to the OOA in 1949 for promotion of sports. Subsequently, the Barabati Stadium had come up on the land. In 1969, another 2.703 acres adjacent to it was leased out the OOA for 90 years.

However, in 2003, the Cuttack collector had issued direction for cancellation of the lease and taking back to government khata as the land was lying vacant and unused, violating the lease conditions.

"Today, we just implemented the Cuttack collector's order," Cuttack Sadar tehsildar Abani Kanata Patnaik told The Telegraph. The authorities, however, maintained silence about why it took so many years to implement the order.

The 2.703 acres was leased out for the purpose of construction of an indoor stadium and dormitory for athletes. The lease condition also included utilisation of the land for the purpose by undertaking construction after the Cuttack collector's approval of the plan.

The implementation of the 2003 order incidentally has come amid implementation of the direction from additional chief secretary of the revenue department Taradatt to undertake identification and demarcation of government land, including the patch under unauthorised occupation of the OOA inside the stadium complex. A team, constituted by the collector, undertook the exercise.

The CDA vice-chairman has been directed "to indicate if plans have been duly approved for construction of buildings and other structures inside the Barabati Stadium complex" and what action has been taken in case of unauthorised constructions.

Taradatt had issued the direction after making a field visit to assess the management of the kalyan mandap known as Barabati Palace and 23 shops that had come up on the 0.705 acres government land encroached by the OOA.