Demolition of religious structures near NH-5 resumes in Cuttack on Thursday. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, July 3: The district administration and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) yesterday resumed the demolition of illegal religious structures along the NH-5 on the city outskirts.

Four religious structures were demolished during the eviction drive that resumed after a gap of eight days today. All the structures had come up along the national highway between Bhanapur and Balikuda via Pratapnagari.

The structures are being removed to facilitate the transformation of NH-5 into a six-lane highway from Bhubaneswar to Chandikhole.

Local residents had stalled the demolition of Barunei temple at Bhanapur on June 25. The temple was razed amid tight security arrangements today. The structure was demolished after a Rs 5-lakh compensation was paid to the temple administration.

Around five platoons of police force were deployed to assist the joint eviction squad for clearance of encroachments along the national highway.

The joint eviction squad of the district administration and NHAI has identified five other religious structures for demolition in the second phase of eviction, official sources said.

Sub-collector Sudarshan Parida said roadside dhabas and few other illegal constructions, besides religious structures, would also be demolished in the second phase eviction drive that resumed today.

In the first phase, four roadside religious structures from Phulnakhara to Bhanapur, including a puja mandap, were demolished.

“We have paid a compensation of Rs 18 lakh for relocation of various temples,” said S.P. Patnaik, general manager of Sri Jagannath Expressway Private Limited, the company that is carrying out the road expansion work on behalf of NHAI.