To widen the NIT Road, the Sundargarh district administration on Monday demolished over 382 unauthorised shops and kiosks on the roadsides from the Sector-2 Biju Patnaik Chowk to the Durga Canteen.
The eviction drive started from Monday would cover three stretches and would end May 10, sources said. After encroachers are evicted, proposed projects like the solid waste management plant at Tarkera, railway wagon washery at Malgodown Road and the NIT Road widening would be undertaken.
For the purpose, both the district administration and Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) authorities had asked the encroachers to vacate land by April 27.Accordingly, the shop owners started shifting their materials from April 26 from along the NIT road. So without any hindrance the administration could take up the demolish drive.
A total of 10 platoon police forces were deployed and staffs of the RSP’s Town Engineering and Town Services department, Rourkela tehsil office, Sub-Collector office, ADM office, Rourkela Development Authority and Rourkela Municipality were present. Apart from JCBs, Fire brigades, ambulances and water tankers were mobilised in large numbers for the eviction. Source said eleven shops were not demolished as their owners had obtained stay order from the Odisha High Court till May 10.
Meanwhile, Yuva Jagruti Manch (YJM), Basti Surakshya Samiti (BSS) and the BJD have urged the administration and the RSP authorities to rehabilitate the evicted shop owners. The BSS has demanded to rehabilitate the people who would be evicted from their hamlets for the Railway Washery and solid waste management projects.
Rourkela ADM RN Mishra informed that a joint meeting of the district administration, the RSP and the Railways recently decided to evict these people as the two projects are very important for the development of the city. He said the district administration is planning to rehabilitate these evicted people.
The RSP Town Services DGM said the people who were evicted for widening of the NIT road would be rehabilitated gradually and the land has been identified for the same.