Bhubaneswar: The state government's central eviction monitoring committee has faced stiff opposition from local residents while conducting a drive to remove encroachments near Kalinga Stadium at Jayadev Vihar.

The aim of the drive was the make room for smooth conduct of the Men's Hockey World Cup here in November.

The enforcement team of officials from the Bhubaneswar Development Authority, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and police, who went to the spot around 11.30am on Friday, ran into opposition from local residents. Following the protests, the officials had to back out from the drive. However, after a deliberation with the residents, they the enforcement team was allowed to demolish a partially constructed temple near the stadium.

"We faced opposition from the local residents but, following talks, undertook the demolition drive," said an official.

The government had planned the eviction twice earlier to remove a slum settlement near the gate No. 6 and a temple near the stadium's proposed west stand for the world cup.

However, two deadlines - March 31 and May 15 - have passed, and the officials are yet to successfully carry out the planned drive because of local opposition. "The civic body has to first make sure that we get rehabilitation. Otherwise, we will not to allow them to demolish our homes," said local resident Sarat Jena.

The repeated failures in removing the encroachments have triggered fear that the city would be showcased in a bad light in front of visitors and foreign delegates, who arrive for the event.

"The encroachments give a bad look to the stadium. It needs to be removed," said Nayapalli resident Kiran Panda.

Encroachment by slum dwellers is rampant near Jayadev Vihar Square, the gateway to the stadium, where the civic body has identified 250 families that live in unauthorised settlements.

It has also asked for Rs 13.2 crore from the government for construction of houses for those evicted from the site.

"We will first rehabilitate the slum dwellers in the transit houses and then provide them with houses in various affordable projects that are being executed in the city. We will convene a meeting with them and if they continue their protest, we will take help of more police," said the official, who was part of the team.