The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) carried out the eviction of 81 more families from the Salia Sahi slum on Saturday, marking the final phase of clearing government land for a 13-kilometer-long parallel road. This road, to be constructed on the left side of the Jayadev Vihar-Nandankanan stretch, is intended to ease congestion on this major artery.
Relocation and Demolition Details
Out of the 81 evicted families, 67 were relocated to a permanent housing colony. According to Ajay Mohanty, BMC deputy commissioner (housing), a total of 566 families had been evicted previously for this road project. Of these, 250 were moved to permanent houses, while the remaining reside in transit houses built by the BMC at Buddha Vihar. Mohanty stated, “With the eviction of these 81 families, the relocation process for the road work is complete. The slum residents were given prior notice, and 67 families were deemed eligible for permanent housing. Alongside eviction and relocation, illegal houses were demolished on Saturday.”
Impact on Traffic Congestion
Official sources indicate that traffic congestion is expected to decrease by 35% to 40% once the parallel road becomes fully operational. The road will pass through Ekamra Kanan, Hatiasuni, Rail Vihar, and Pathargadia and will also serve as a sub-arterial road connecting to the proposed ring road.
Eviction Process and Resident Response
A large-scale eviction was conducted in November last year over five days. Mohanty explained that the eviction exercise was completed with multiple teams engaged. “None of the evictees can stay in the open, so they were shifted with their belongings immediately after demolition. On Thursday evening, residents were informed about which houses would be demolished so they could remove their belongings,” he said. Ramesh Bastia, 55, a long-time resident of Salia Sahi, said he always knew they would have to leave eventually. “I spent 30 years in the slum. Now I am moving my belongings to the new housing colony,” he remarked.
Involvement of Multiple Departments
In addition to the BMC, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority, police, and departments including Watco, energy, and fire services participated in the eviction drive. The operation helped reclaim 800 to 900 meters of land designated for the proposed left parallel road.
