Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has issued a show-cause notice to Chief Secretary of Odisha over allegations of illegal encroachment and blockage of a lane on the busy Old Airport Road passing in front of Naveen Niwas, the private residence of former Chief Minister and current Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar.
The PIL, filed by RTI activist Prakash Chandra Das, claimed that one side of the double-lane road has been barricaded and obstructed for years under the guise of security protocols during Naveen’s 24-year tenure as Chief Minister. This has allegedly caused severe inconvenience to commuters, pedestrians, and vehicular traffic en route to key locations such as Biju Patnaik International Airport and Lingaraj Temple via Old Airport Road and Ekamra Road.
The petitioner further argued that the obstruction leads to frequent traffic jams, difficulties for school buses, and delays for emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire trucks, potentially resulting in loss of life and property that could otherwise be prevented.
With a new government now in power and Naveen no longer holding the position of Chief Minister, the PIL contended there was no justification for continuing to block a full lane of a public road in the name of personal security.
Invoking the High Court’s extraordinary jurisdiction under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, the petition sought directions to remove the encroachment, restore free movement, and address what it describes as illegal, arbitrary actions by authorities in connivance with the former Chief Minister.
Naveen Niwas, located along the Aerodrome Road, served as both Naveen’s personal residence and de facto official workspace throughout his long tenure, a unique arrangement in Odisha’s political history.
