Eviction Around Lingaraj Temple In Bhubaneswar Resumes

Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation on Friday resumed eviction and demolition work around the Lingaraj Temple.

The eviction drive as part of beautification project of the state government was put on halt due to lockdown imposed in the wake of COVID-19 for two months.

“We are prioritising the clearance and widening of road adjacent to the temple. The encroachments in the area have already been razed. Only the houses, whose owners had earlier agreed to transfer the ownership of their property to BMC, are being demolished,” BMC Additional Commissioner Abanikant Patnaik said.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday directed for resumption of heritage projects. Following the direction, the demolition drive around the areas of Jagannath Temple in Puri and Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar resumed on Friday.