Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has restrained the state government from developing a market complex inside Barabati Palace in Cuttack.
A division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Subhasis Talapatra and Justice Savitri Ratho issued the restrain order on Monday after hearing a petition field by Pradip Patnaik, a city-based lawyer and a social activist.
The petitioner sought the court’s intervention in preventing the government from converting the historical palace into a place other than for sports activities.
Senior advocate Durga Prasad Nanda, appearing for the petitioner, stated before the bench that the government has already started the tender process for the Rs 1-crore project. The office of chief construction engineer (Roads & Buildings), Cuttack circle, has initiated the tender process for repair and renovation of Barabati Palace for functioning of the Mission Shakti market complex on May 22, 2023. Nanda sought the court’s direction to call back the tender process.
The two-judge bench directed the government to file an affidavit giving details of the Mission Shakti market complex. It said no final decision will be taken on the tender process till the next date of hearing and posted the matter to August 10.
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