Bhubaneswar, Aug 27: Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra announced on Tuesday that civic authorities in Bhubaneswar would demolish 191 illegally constructed apartments and buildings. The minister provided this information in response to a question by BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain in the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

Mohapatra stated that a total of 491 cases have been registered against unauthorized constructions under the Bhubaneswar Development Authority's (BDA) jurisdiction. Out of these, demolition orders have been issued for 191 cases, while 63 cases have been dropped. Additionally, 237 cases are currently sub-judice.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also registered 1,444 cases against unauthorized constructions. Of these, 451 cases have been resolved, while 993 remain pending.

Earlier, Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das mentioned that the BMC would proceed with demolishing unauthorized apartments if the state government provided compensation. She highlighted that many builders have absconded after selling plots, leaving the BMC with limited control. These constructions, originally under panchayat jurisdiction, have now come under BMC’s control, leading to severe drainage issues due to encroachment on natural water bodies.

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