Vishwas Dass and Y Madhusudhan
Post News Network
BHUBANESWAR: Lawlessness at its worst. The space under many a flyover in the capital is being grabbed and homes and other structures erected at will. All this is happening right under the nose of the public works department (PWD). Some generally corrupt PWD officials have direct complicity in this illegal and outrageous usurpation of public space for private purposes, sources confirmed to Orissa POST.
Illegal structures can be found below flyovers in areas including the Laxmi Sagar-Satya Nagar stretch, Mausima Square-Sishu Bhawan and Palaspalli. The PWD, which builds and maintains flyovers, has literally done nothing to prevent people from grabbing government land. This also poses grave security risks.
Beggars have encroached upon the underpasses of the Vani Vihar flyover that connects Jaydev Vihar with Rasulgarh via Vani Vihar. People often avoid using such underpasses as they fear that the beggars, anti-social elements and thugs may harm them.
Recently, several departments under the city enforcement monitoring committee (CEMC) headed by Chief Secretary GC Pati have set an example by bulldozing more than 250 makeshift houses that left over 800 people homeless at Kanya Ashram in Chandrashekharpur. This was done to clear the decks for an ‘affordable’ housing scheme. However, the PWD’s inaction over encroachments under flyovers showed that something is fishy.
People have constructed semi-concrete structures under the Satya Nagar flyover. Some thugs are often seen parking their trucks/vehicles beneath the flyover. Heavy vehicles are also being parked beneath the flyover as if it is a parking lot.
People have also erected pukka structures with brick walls. Some people are running auto mechanic and spare parts shops parallel to the railway line. Apparently, the authorities are not raising a finger against such actions.
At the Sishu Bhawan flyover, people have built thatched residential structures near the Bapuji Nagar slum while some have set up shops. Residents of the area told Orissa POST that no one had ever objected to them occupying the land under the flyovers. “What is your problem?” one of the occupants asked,
“The government has not rehabilitated us nor has it helped us get a job. Taking shelter under a flyover is the only ‘safe’ way out for us. Eviction teams generally do not disturb us,” said Asif, a local slum dweller.
The PWD, along with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Bhubaneswar Development Authority and general administration department, had carried out eviction drives to remove encroachments but has so far largely ignored the issue of people constructing houses under flyovers.
A PWD official said, “The Sishu Bhawan flyover is a perfect recipe for disaster. If the PWD does not get the encroachments cleared, the nearby slum dwellers will take over the space completely.”
The condition at Rajmahal Square flyover, however, is better than the others. Here, the PWD has built railings to prevent encroachments. However, a few rag-pickers scale the railings to spend the nights thhere. Some also attend to calls of nature there after dusk.
