An eviction drive in Niladri Vihar turned tense on Tuesday as residents strongly opposed the demolition of transit houses.
The operation was jointly carried out by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) to clear encroachments.
The eviction is being conducted in phases across Niladri Vihar Phases 1, 2, and 3, where nearly 890 transit houses were built under the Buddha Vihar Housing Project. In the first phase, 330 houses have been marked for demolition. Officials stated that many beneficiaries had already been allotted permanent housing but continued to occupy the transit units.
Residents, however, alleged that despite being eligible, they had not yet received permanent homes. They demanded rehabilitation or alternative arrangements before eviction, staging strong protests as demolition began.
To maintain law and order, police forces from Nandankanan, Chandrasekharpur, Chandaka, and Infocity police stations were deployed, with three platoons stationed at the site. Despite resistance from women, youth, and families, the eviction drive continued under the supervision of officials and police.
