Tension flared near Patia railway station in Bhubaneswar as shopkeepers protested against the Bhubaneswar Development Authority’s (BDA) eviction drive on Tuesday.
The BDA team arrived to remove over 35 unauthorised shops along Patia Station Road. As demolition began, traders and local residents gathered and surrounded the officials, shouting slogans and demanding a halt to the operation. Police forces were deployed to control the situation.
Shop owners claimed they had been running businesses in the area for years and said the sudden eviction threatened their livelihood. They demanded alternative arrangements and compensation from the government. Some traders produced documents to support their claims of ownership or long‑term tenancy.
The eviction formed part of BDA’s ongoing campaign to clear illegal structures in the Patia and Kalarahanga areas. Officials stated that the operation aimed to free government land and was conducted according to legal procedures.
