Cuttack: Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on Friday launched an eviction drive along the 1.5-km stretch from Jhola Sahi to Kesharpur, demolishing more than 21 illegal establishments that had encroached upon the road. The eviction drive started around 10 am and continued for five hours under police protection. Earthmovers and enforcement teams removed permanent and temporary structures erected on public land, restoring the width of the road.The Jhola Sahi–Kesharpur stretch has long been a traffic bottleneck due to its narrow carriageway. Civic officials said the problem had worsened over the years as unauthorised shops and other structures encroached upon the roadside, leaving little space for the smooth movement of vehicles and pedestrians.“We demolished 21 illegal establishments along the 1.5-km stretch from Jhola Sahi to Kesharpur to restore the road’s original width and ensure smoother and safer traffic movement,” said enforcement team leader, CMC, Shramika Bibhutiray. “The aim of the drive is to reclaim public land and ensure safe and hassle-free movement of traffic. The encroachments had significantly reduced the effective width of the road, creating inconvenience and increasing the risk of accidents,” added Bibhutiray.Police personnel were deployed throughout the operation to maintain law and order, and no untoward incident was reported during the demolition drive. “The eviction was carried out after following due process. Such drives will continue in other parts of the city wherever public land has been illegally occupied,” the official said.Residents welcomed the move. “The road had become so narrow that two vehicles could barely pass at the same time. Pedestrians were forced to walk on the carriageway, risking accidents,” said Subhas Biswal, a resident of Kesharpur.
