Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday demolished unauthorised houses and commercial structures blocking roads and drains behind the Capital Hospital in the Bhubaneswar.
Enforcement squads equipped with heavy machinery cleared illegal buildings that had narrowed access routes and obstructed drainage, freeing up space for ambulances and other vehicles to move more easily.
The civic body also ordered illegally parked vehicles to be shifted, reclaiming public space around the busy hospital zone. A BMC official said, “Many shops and other structures which had come up illegally were destroyed. Lighting around the area will be increased. We have cracked down on the coffin traders also with the towing of 10 vehicles. We have spoken to the ambulance association, who will be provided a space to park their vehicles.”
Mayor Sulochana Das said the eviction drive was necessary for public safety and infrastructure improvement by cleaning up the space of an important hospital. The area surrounding Capital Hospital along with the mortuary and lanes is being cleaned. This is a step to improve the infrastructure along with several initiatives which BMC has planned, she said.
Officials said the demolition was part of BMC’s broader mandate to remove blockages on roads and drains across Bhubaneswar. Similar drives are being carried out in other parts of the city to tackle illegal encroachments that contribute to traffic congestion, waterlogging and sanitation issues. Civic authorities assured that the reclaimed space would be maintained to ensure better accessibility and drainage in the future.
