Admin demolishes Yatrika Niwas in Puri

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Puri: A day after the state government announced Rs 500-crore package for the Holy City, the district administration Saturday demolished Yatrika Niwas, a lodging house, built on government land near Baliapanda beach here.
According to sources, the administration has planned to construct a multi-level parking lot and a vending zone on the land.
It is worth mentioning here that the state government had earlier allocated Rs 265 crore for the execution of some development projects in the city.
“We will utilise the funds to build a multi-level parking lot, a vending zone and a several other projects,” said an official of the district administration.
According to sources, a private agency had taken a piece of government land near Baliapanda beach on lease and constructed the lodging house a few years ago. The agency was also using the lodge premises for wedding and other ceremonies.
It is learnt that the private agency was collecting huge sums by renting out the 17 rooms of the lodging house and its premises to visitors and locals.
“The lease period of the land ended in 2014. We had served a notice on the agency to vacate the government land. We demolished the lodging house after the agency failed to vacate the land,” said the official.
The administration deployed nine earthmovers to demolish the lodging house. Moreover, four platoons of armed police personnel, a few senior police officials and two executive magistrates were deployed to maintain law and order in the locality.