Amid stiff opposition by slum dwellers and the local corporator, a joint squad of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and General Administration (GA) Department on Thursday cleared around 1.5 acres of land of the Traffic Training Institute here at laxmisagar which was encroached by the dwellers of the Haladipadi slum since last many years. Around 60 houses, including many asbestos structures and two country-made wine factories, were demolished.
According to the BDA Enforcement Officer Deba Prasad Dash, the slum dwellers had been staying in the land of the Traffic Training Institute which was given to it by the GA Department since long.
“As part of our ongoing eviction drive, we cleared this encroached land. A hostel and a playground of the institute will be built on the evicted land,” informed Dash, adding that the eviction drive would continue across Bhubaneswar till the city becomes encroachment-free.
Though local corporator Sura Jena along with some slum dwellers opposed the eviction move, the officials managed to pacify them.
Two excavators were deployed for the demolition and three platoons of police force took position during the demolition drive.