Prohibitory Orders Clamped After Tension During Anti-Encroachment Drive In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Prohibitory orders were imposed in Acharya Vihar-Vani Vihar area of Bhubaneswar on Thursday as tension prevailed during a mass eviction and anti-encroachment drive continued to demolish unauthorized shops and structures.

Sources said prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) have been clamped in the area to avoid any untoward incident during the eviction drive along the stretch of road from Acharya Vihar to Vani Vihar.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) had earlier issued eviction notices to several makeshift stalls and street vendors in Acharya Vihar over occupying in an unauthorised manner and causing traffic congestion.

However, several street vendors claimed that they have not received any notice and that  the eviction drive was being carried out arbitrarily without payment of any compensation.

Notably, the anti-encroachment and eviction drive is being carried out as part of a beautification drive ahead of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar from the January 8 to 10.

Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das had earlier stated that plans were afoot by the BMC and BDA to clear 55 roads of encroachments in the state capital. The authorities are taking steps to evict roadside vendors along key stretches and shift them to designated permanent vending zones.

The move evoked stiff protests on December 26 when a large number of street vendors gheraoed the BMC North Zone office and blocked roads near NALCO Square in the capital city.