Cuttack: The public works department's second phase of four-lane project, which is already running behind schedule, has been caught in a bind as the puja mandap at Biju Patnaik Chhak here has come in its way.

The road-widening project had been undertaken on less than 1km from Biju Patnaik Chhak to the deer park at Madhusudan Nagar in 2016. It was targeted to be completed in May 2017.

But, construction of the road, which passes in front of Anand Bhavan the ancestral house of Biju Patnaik, has not been started till date.

The department's roads and buildings division in Cuttack, with the district administration's help, scheduled demolition of the mandap on Tuesday after making public announcement since February 2.

However, officials had to return with egg on their face as the Biju Patnaik Chhak Bazar Committee came up with an Orissa High Court order for allotment of the land for the mandap.

"We could make no headway in view of the high court order," a Cuttack roads and buildings division official said.

As a mark of protest against the scheduled demolition, all shops had downed their shutters.

Biju Patnaik Chhak Bazar Committee president Surya Behera said: "After notices had been issued for demolition of the puja mandap to give way for road expansion, we sought the high court's intervention. Subsequently, in pursuance of the high court order, we have filed application for allotment of the puja mandap land in the prescribed form with the revenue administration."

The high court issued the order on January 16, 2017.

"The puja mandap had been constructed between 1982 and 1984 and got registered in 1993," said committee secretary Jayee Behera.

"Accordingly, power connection had also been allowed to it," Behera said.

The existing roads as part of the project are to be expanded to maintain the 7.5 metres width on the two sides of the median.

The road expansion has not been taken up as starting of the new road is not possible because of the puja mandap.

The problem has arisen as a clearance of around 7ft is required for construction and connecting of the new road with Biju Patnaik Chhak.

The division's executive engineer M.R. Khan said: "We have ensured completion of work involving clearance of trees and relocation of the electricity connection poles."

The Rs 1.65-crore road expansion works from Biju Patnaik Chhak to the deer park is the second phase of the four-lane project that had started with the Rs 2.17-crore road expansion work of the 2km stretch between Cantonment Road near the Barabati Stadium to Biju Patnaik Chhak.