Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has carried out a large-scale eviction drive in Shampur mouza under Bharatpur police limits in the Odisha capital, reclaiming significant stretches of encroached government land.

The operation was conducted under the direction of BDA Vice-Chairman Chanchal Rana and led by Joint Commissioner Ranjan Kumar Jena.

A total of six JCB machines (excavators) were pressed into service to demolish unauthorized structures. On the first day alone, 187 houses, including 31 under-construction buildings, were razed, clearing nearly 8 acres of land. The eviction drive is part of BDA’s ongoing efforts to remove illegal encroachments and facilitate planned urban development in the city.

To maintain law and order during the operation, around 10 platoons of police force along with 50 police officers were deployed at the site. Officials stated that the eviction process remained peaceful throughout, with no major untoward incidents reported.

Prior to the drive, the BDA had issued multiple notices to residents and made public announcements through loudspeakers, urging encroachers to vacate the land voluntarily. Authorities reiterated that the action was taken only after due process.

The BDA Vice-Chairman emphasized that the eviction drive will continue until all encroachments are cleared. He also appealed to residents occupying government land illegally to vacate on their own to support the city’s development initiatives.

During the eviction drive, officials recovered a total of 72 LPG cylinders, including 21 small cylinders, from an encroached house. The BDA subsequently handed over the seized cylinders to the Civil Supplies Department for further action.

It may be noted that in December 2023, the BDA had filed an FIR with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), alleging illegal encroachment and sale of portions of the 68-acre land by land mafia.