Kendrapada: A joint eviction drive was carried out by NHAI, Jajpur administration and the police along NH-16 at Chhatia to remove permanent and temporary encroachments on both sides of the highway.The eviction drive was carried out taking serious note of the obstruction of sight by structures, shops, kiosks, sweet stalls and other infrastructure built by encroachers on either side of the highway which result in frequent road accidents. “The eviction drive would reduce cases of road accidents on the highway,” Darpani tehsildar Manas Kumar Tripathy said.“Despite protests from the encroachers, we demolished many shops and other establishments. The district administration deployed police to check any law-and-order situation,” Tripathy added.All the encroachers were served eviction notices individually and were given ample opportunity of being heard to prove their ownership rights (if any) on the encroached land. “The encroachers failed to produce any documentary evidence whatsoever and consequently we evicted them,” Tripathy said.“We will not spare any encroachers who are illegally occupying the highway land. With increasing congestion on the highway having become a major source of concern, roadside encroachments had been identified as one of the main contributory factors. Legal action will be taken against those who refuse to vacate the lands. Officials are working out ways to gather details about govt land under unlawful occupation,” he added.“The primary objective of the drive is to improve road safety and prevent accidents. Security has been tightened and police have been deployed to check any untoward situation at the time of the eviction drive,” Jajpur Road SDPO Sarat Chandra Patra said.“Constant watch is required. Otherwise, these shops running as permanent ones make a comeback after a few days of eviction. Illegal shops were enjoying power and water connections under the very nose of the authorities,” Manoj Swain, a retired school teacher at Chatia, said.“Chhatia is famous along NH-16 for its delicious chhena kakara pitha. Most of the kakara pitha shops have been here for more than three decades on both sides of the highway. The authorities demolished around 30 shops; as a result, we are now in deep trouble,” Maheswar Sahoo, a kakara pitha seller at Chhatia, said.
