Bhubaneswar, March 22: Several unauthorised structures, including a marriage mandap, were demolished as part of an eviction drive at Jagamara in Khandagiri police station limits.

Residents had approached the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) against a builder who had constructed houses on government land without permission. The authority in turn had registered a case against him under the Odisha Development Authority Act.

Deba Prasad Dash, the enforcement officer of the development authority, who led the drive, said they had directed the builder to remove the illegal constructions but he did not comply with the order. "Therefore, we demolished the constructions," said Dash.

On Friday, a team consisting of officials from the BDA, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), general administration (GA) department, roads and building (R&B) department and police demolished several houses and small business establishments that had come up on both sides of the road from Doordarshan to the Survey of India office in Chandrashekharpur.

A popular dhaba near the Doordarshan office has also been razed. Officials said the drive was undertaken for expansion of road and construction of drains in the area.

In another development, Dash, the enforcement officer of the BDA, has been transferred BMC, where he is supposed to join shortly. Sources linked his transfer with the demolition of a mutt near Khandagiri on March 7. Constructed on encroached government land, it was brought down despite resistance from residents many of whom were believed to be the supporters of a BJD leader. Dash's transfer order became public a few days ago. He will swap posts with the recovery officer of the municipal corporation.#

Vice-chairman of BDA and BMC commissioner Krishan Kumar said Dash would be the recovery and enforcement officer as well.