Bhubaneswar: A joint inquiry was conducted by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Odisha State Archaeology Thursday at the historic Satara Nala near Pandara-Abdulnagar here. The teams visited the site to examine the condition of the ancient structure, verify land ownership and legal status, and assess the impact of encroachments and adjoining development.
Following the inquiry, encroachments will be removed, and steps will be taken to protect the heritage structure, officials said. “Satara Nala is a part of our history. There are only three such 700-year-old bridges in Odisha, but the government is not taking any action to protect it,” said social worker Narayan Prusty, who has been pursuing the issue with various government departments.
The development follows an earlier inspection by Odisha State Archaeology, which found that the structure appeared to be of considerable antiquity and heritage value. The department had observed that a portion of the structure had been affected by adjoining development activities, while another side was occupied by a small temple.
The Archaeology department had also informed the BMC that Satara Nala is currently not protected either by Odisha State Archaeology or the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It had sought land ownership details and other relevant records to assess the feasibility of undertaking conservation and protection measures.
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