A construction undertaken by the Baleswar Municipality on Station Road has not only been strongly opposed by a civil society body it has also threatened to move the court if the authorities do not stall the work.
The Baleswar Advance Parents’ Association (BAPA) pointed out at a media conference on Sunday that after a long legal battle and overcoming the administrative inertia, the unauthorised construction on the road connecting the Baleswar railway station and Station Square had been cleared about three years ago and the road were made wide and two-lane. The traffic congestion near the railway station was solved to a large extent.
BAPA office-bearers said that when the district administration had initiated eviction on the road in 2014, 13 writ petitions were filed against the order of the administration by owners of shop and other establishments. The High Court, acting on the writ petitions, stayed the order of eviction in October, 2014, but the stay was vacated in May 2015.
Thereafter, eviction was carried out to widen the road for hassle-free traffic and construct drains on either side of the road besides beatifying it.
But recently, the municipality, which had once evicted the encroachments, has again initiated constructions near the Works Department office. The work is going on a war footing, and sources said the municipal authorities have a plan to make a multistory building in the space and give it on rent.
“The stretch connecting the railway station and Station Square has gained a prominent look after the eviction as the road is widened. But again, the present construction by the municipality will lead to traffic congestions due to parking of vehicles and business activities in front of the shops. We won’t let the municipality have construction and will seek legal relief if the construction is not stopped,” said BAPA president Bijay Panigrahi.
Other BAPA functionaries Girijashankar Das, Jitendra Pati, Anataryami Behera and Bhagirathi Behera were present during the media briefing.