BHUBANESWAR: In a major demolition drive, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) in coordination with Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday razed down 330 transit houses along with 45 toilets and bathrooms near Kanyashram area under Chandrasekharpur mouza.
Official sources said the drive was part of their ongoing efforts to clear government land of unauthorised occupation and facilitate planned urban development in the city. It was launched on the direction of BDA vice-chairman Chanchal Rana and carried out under the supervision of joint commissioner Ranjan Kumar Jena.
During the operation, the enforcement squads also removed a 500-foot-long laterite stone boundary wall, an anganwadi centre and three wooden cabins from the site. Officials said the cleared land will facilitate construction of a branch road connecting to the right parallel road, which is expected to improve connectivity and support planned infrastructure development in the area.
Two additional DCPs, four ACPs, nine inspectors and 20 platoons of police personnel were deployed at the site to ensure smooth conduct of the operation and maintenance of law and order situation.
Adequate numbers of female police personnel were also mobilised as part of the security arrangements. As many as eight JCB machines were engaged to carry out the demolition.
BDA additional commissioner (Estate-I) Manoj Swain, BMC (Housing) joint commissioner Ajay Kumar Mohanty and other senior officials were present during the demolition drive.