Illegal apartments in Bhubaneswar: We will demolish such constructions if govt orders, says Mayor

Concerns are now being expressed over illegal constructions, particularly apartments that are mushrooming in different parts of Odisha. A day after the State Urban and Housing Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra informed the Odisha Assembly that there are approximately over 700 illegal apartments and maximum violations are in Bhubaneswar, Mayor Sulochana Das on Wednesday asserted that such illegal constructions would be demolished.

While talking to reporters, Bhubaneswar Mayor said that once the BMC receives any formal directive from the Odisha government, necessary steps would be taken in this regard.

According to Das, there are several housing projects which have come up on agricultural land. In several places, builders have sold property and there is no control over several aspects including encroachment on drainage channels which were earlier part of panchayat.

"In panchayat, BMC was not issuing any permission. Whatever the Odisha government decides, we will take appropriate action. If the government wants to demolish such constructions, we will do it. There is no problem in executing any directions," said Das.

“Only after we get any letter from the Urban and Housing Development Department, we will take action as we also want no one to encroach upon government land and there are no illegal constructions. If an apartment is demolished, compensation needs to be paid. BMC does not have adequate funds. But BMC will definitely take action as per the directions of the government,” she added.