Squatters evicted from NH-16 service lane from Acharya Vihar to Vani Vihar
Bhubaneswar: In a significant initiative towards urban enhancement ahead of the grand Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas-2025, the enforcement squad of civic authorities on Thursday executed a major eviction drive to remove and relocate squatters from the service lane of NH-16 between Acharya Vihar and Vani Vihar Square.
The eviction drive was crucial as it represented a long-standing objective of local authorities, not only for urban beautification or street vendor organisation but also to ensure safety of citizens and commuters on NH-16 that passes through the city.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) actively participated in the eviction drive on Friday. The NHAI previously corresponded multiple times with the local authorities regarding the removal of squatters, citing significant road safety concerns.
Despite resistance from the local vendors’ community, the civic authorities completed the eviction drive under stringent security measures. Two platoons of police were stationed to maintain law and order at the eviction site.
According to Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) records, 107 makeshift and permanent kiosks established by vendors were dismantled in the eviction-cum-relocation drive conducted by civic authorities in the presence of other officials.
“People are misjudging this as an eviction drive. We are simply relocating the street vendors. We are not depriving them of their livelihood in any manner. We are following the regulations and implementing the enforcement drive,” said BMC zonal commissioner (North) Sashibhusan Mohapatra.
Mohapatra indicated they identified 55 priority road stretches across the city from where vendors are being relocated to organised vending zones. “The vendors evicted today will be relocated to a designated area inside VSS Nagar. There are 12 road stretches in my division where the drive is being carried out,” he said.
The street vendors’ associations maintained their stance demanding rehabilitation at their original locations and continued protesting against the consecutive eviction drives of the city authorities being carried out for the grand Jan event.
“The regulations specify relocation, not eviction, but the BMC is doing the opposite. They are evicting us without proper rehabilitation. We will persist in our fight against this injustice,” said Pratap Sahu, president, All Odisha Street Vendor’s Association.
The eviction drive was crucial as it represented a long-standing objective of local authorities, not only for urban beautification or street vendor organisation but also to ensure safety of citizens and commuters on NH-16 that passes through the city.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) actively participated in the eviction drive on Friday. The NHAI previously corresponded multiple times with the local authorities regarding the removal of squatters, citing significant road safety concerns.
Despite resistance from the local vendors’ community, the civic authorities completed the eviction drive under stringent security measures. Two platoons of police were stationed to maintain law and order at the eviction site.
According to Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) records, 107 makeshift and permanent kiosks established by vendors were dismantled in the eviction-cum-relocation drive conducted by civic authorities in the presence of other officials.
“People are misjudging this as an eviction drive. We are simply relocating the street vendors. We are not depriving them of their livelihood in any manner. We are following the regulations and implementing the enforcement drive,” said BMC zonal commissioner (North) Sashibhusan Mohapatra.
Mohapatra indicated they identified 55 priority road stretches across the city from where vendors are being relocated to organised vending zones. “The vendors evicted today will be relocated to a designated area inside VSS Nagar. There are 12 road stretches in my division where the drive is being carried out,” he said.
The street vendors’ associations maintained their stance demanding rehabilitation at their original locations and continued protesting against the consecutive eviction drives of the city authorities being carried out for the grand Jan event.
“The regulations specify relocation, not eviction, but the BMC is doing the opposite. They are evicting us without proper rehabilitation. We will persist in our fight against this injustice,” said Pratap Sahu, president, All Odisha Street Vendor’s Association.
