Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) carried out a massive eviction operation in Shampur mouza under Bharatpur police station limits on Thursday.
Under the direct supervision of BDA Vice-Chairman Chanchal Rana and led by Joint Commissioner Ranjan Kumar Jena, the drive saw the deployment of six JCB machines that demolished 187 unauthorized houses, including 31 under-construction structures. The operation successfully reclaimed nearly 8 acres of prime government land that had been encroached upon for years.
Heavy security arrangements were made to ensure the drive proceeded smoothly. Around 10 platoons of police personnel along with 50 police officers were deployed at the site. Officials reported that the entire operation remained peaceful with no untoward incidents.
Prior to the demolition, the BDA had issued several notices to the occupants and made repeated public announcements through loudspeakers, asking them to vacate the government land voluntarily. Authorities stressed that the action was taken only after following due legal process.
Speaking on the occasion, BDA Vice-Chairman Chanchal Rana said the eviction drive would continue until all encroachments in the area are completely removed. He appealed to people illegally occupying government land to vacate on their own and support the city’s development initiatives.
During the operation, BDA officials recovered 72 LPG cylinders, including 21 small cylinders, from one of the encroached houses. The cylinders were later handed over to the Civil Supplies Department for necessary action.
It is worth mentioning that in December 2023, the BDA had lodged an FIR with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against land mafias for allegedly illegally encroaching and selling portions of a 68-acre government land parcel in the area.
The BDA has reiterated its firm commitment to removing all illegal constructions and restoring government land for public use and planned urban growth in the state capital.
