Row erupts over handing over of 'school land' for 5-star hotel project in Cuttack

A controversy has erupted over the construction of a five-star hotel at Nuapatna in Choudwar of Cuttack district with local residents opposing the project.

The locals have expressed apprehension that a school playground close to the entrance of the upcoming hotel would be handed over to the company.

As per reports, Lalchand Resorts has been allotted a patch of land spreading over 13 acres following a directive from the Odisha government. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation stone for the proposed hotel project on May 21, 2023.    

Speaking about the land row, Rushikesh Rath, director of Lalchand Resorts, said, “The IDCO has allotted us 11.25 acres of land for our hotel and later provided us another 1.80 acres. As the demarcation started, local people opposed it. They had also opposed it earlier, asking us to halt the work.”

He added that the work was stopped earlier, but now it is going on as per the demarcation of the administration.     

Bishnu Charan Sahu, a local resident, said, “There was a fault in the demarcation of the land allotted to Lalchand Resorts. Our legislator got the fault corrected in the demarcation. However, the administration has taken away 1.80 acres from plot-245 for the project without the knowledge of the villagers. The villagers should have been apprised of the issue.”

Former MLA Prabhat Biswal, said, "Lalchand Resorts was initially allotted 11.25 acres for its proposed five-star hotel. Three months back, 1.80 acres of land was added to it. Villagers alleged that the plot which was later added to the Lalchand land belongs to a school. The local legislator had requested the block administration to provide land to the hotel, exempting the school.”