Bhubaneswar: The urban development authority failed to remove squatters from the footpath and roadside drain on the stretch between Sainik School and Acharya Vihar for the second consecutive day on Tuesday.
The squad members, consisting of officials from the development and civic authorities and a platoon of police force, had to step back in the face of stiff resistance from the encroachers even on Tuesday.
However, senior BDA officials felt that they could not take up the raze drive as they did not have adequate police force with them.
"We lacked adequate police force. The encroachers were much larger in number than our team. We will seek more police personnel while attempting the next eviction drive," said BDA liaison officer S.S. Mohanty.
On Monday, the raze squad removed a few illegal structures - such as wooden cabins, extensions of various shops and two hotels.
"We will depute more staff and take the help of the more police in completing the drive. We will also look after the rehabilitation of the evicted persons," said mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.
Encroachments on the stretch have been a cause for pain for both pedestrians and local residents. Pedestrians cannot walk along the footpath on this stretch as several illegal commercial establishments have come up blocking their path, while the encroachments are also causing drainage failure and urban flooding as the drains underneath could not be taken up for desiltation due to the illegal occupation of the structures by the squatters.
"The squatters have encroached upon the stretch for long. They have not only put up their makeshift shops but have also built temporary houses. The authorities should have looked at the issue much earlier instead of taking steps now," said social worker Alok Kar.
A senior Bhubaneswar Development Authority official said they would shortly enlist stretches where encroachment was rampant and where there were possibilities of facing protests during eviction drives. "We will write to the home department seeking adequate police force during the upcoming raze drives," said the official.