BMC to clear encroachments near railway station

BHUBANESWAR: Bhubaneswar railway station will be spick and span with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) all geared up to clear the encroachments and temporary structures outside the railway station. The main pathway leading to the railway station is messy, crowded and unhygienic. There are a few permanent structures, including OPOLFED and OMFED booths, which encroach on the government land. The BMC had earlier issued notice to shop owners to clear out the area. Senior BMC officials had objected to the congestion of the area with shops and temporary stalls.  Ten cases of permanent structures illegally encroaching on the land were found. After the BMC notice, six of them had moved the court to prevent eviction. The court had issued a stay and asked the BMC to identify an alternative land for the relocation of the six permanent structures. After consultation with the General Administration (GA) Department, the BMC  identified the alternative land near Kharavela Nagar and notices have been issued to the shop owners to relocate. “If they do not relocate by the deadline, they will be forcibly evicted,” said a senior BMC official.  There are many food joints outside the railway station. There is a proposal to shift them to the nearby Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) bus stand. “The stalls that can be easily removed will also be given a notice period. Most of the eviction work should be over by month-end,” said the official. The problem of parking outside the railway station is also a concern for the authorities. Most of the people, who do not find parking space inside the parking lot, are forced to park their vehicles outside.