The land at Pandav Nagar which was designated for a community park. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, April 2: A patch of land designated for a community park has been lying unutilised at Pandav Nagar since 1988.

Developed by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) during 1984-85, Pandav Nagar is the oldest plotted residential project in the city. The plots were handed over to the allottees in 1988. The area had the provision to develop a park spread over two acres. However, no step has ever been initiated to develop the park.

Local resident Giridhari Patnaik said the authorities had put a wire fencing long ago. But now, it is of no use. “We have also heard that two patches from the park will be given to various departments of the state government to build a water and a sewage tank. The park was supposed to come up in the rest of the land,” he said.

Patnaik, who filed a complaint with the joint grievance redress forum of the BDA and the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation last Monday, said: “The authorities must act at the earliest. Otherwise, the land will be grabbed by encroachers.’’

The colony has been named as Pandav Nagar as a historic Pandav cave is situated nearby. The cave is also a protected monument declared by the Archaeological Survey of India.

President of Pandav Nagar Development and Cultural Association Bimal Chandra Guru said the land designated as the park should be protected properly and the BDA should erect concrete walls around it.

Another resident of the colony, Sukadev Majhi, said: “The colony has no drainage system. Though the plotting scheme was the oldest one in the city, it still looks like a village. The authorities should first develop a proper drainage system here.”

Many plots are still lying vacant. “A plot near ours has been lying vacant since 1988. In another plot, the owner has vanished after dumping building materials,’’ said Majhi.

The municipal corporation’s additional commissioner Krushna Prasad Pati said: “A joint team of the BDA and the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation will inspect the park site, the roads and the drains once the polls are over. Steps will be initiated to provide amenities there on a priority basis.’’