Bargarh: A mass movement has started in the western Odisha town Bargarh demanding eviction of the illegal encroachment of an important road. The demand has been raised for eviction of the encroachment on the road leading to the Jeera (River) Bridge and Lenku Mishra Chhak.
Bargarh was once the major town of the undivided Sambalpur district. The population of the district including Bargarh town grew rapidly. Later, Bargarh was given district status. The population of the city is now around 1 lakh.
Back then, the road from the Lenku Mishra Chhak to Jeera Bridge was the main road of the residents. Even though the Bargarh town has seen renovation at many places, the alleged encroachment by a few unscrupulous people has narrowed the road leading to frequent traffic congestion. It has been alleged that some people had back then made some portion of the old road in their names with the help of administrative officials. This has become a hindrance in the process of eviction of encroachment.
The local people have demanded eviction as soon as possible. The lawyers of Bargarh have warned that the situation will be dire in case the new Jeera Bridge opens as it will create more traffic congestion.
The road from Lenku Mishra chhak to Jeera Bridge in Bargarh is a major thoroughfare where thousands of people travel from dawn to dusk. However, as on both sides of the road, some shopkeepers have encroached upon the road, the residents of the town are facing parking problems.
The Samaleswari Sangha of Bargarh had staged protest for the eviction of the encroachment of this road. On this occasion the protesters set out from the Samaleshwari temple in a huge procession and handed over a memorandum to the ADM. Individuals and organizations from different sections of Bargarh have repotedly extended their support to this demand. On the other hand, the ADM has reportedly assured early eviction of encroachment on this road.
The process of demarcation has started following the agitation. The Revenue Inspector, Tehsildar, Police and Executive Officer of the Municipal Council have been involved in this process.
However, the lawyers’ association opposed the demarcation process claiming that it was being done on the basis of the Hamid map while ignoring the existing major map of the national highway road map of that time. Accordingly, the demarcation process was stopped after the protest.
Meanwhile, the district administration has formed a committee and is holding meetings to get a proper solution while Bargarh Sub Collector Lalat Kumar Luha has hoped that soon a solution will be found out.
It is time now to wait and watch what steps will be taken towards eviction of the alleged encroachment in this regard, so that this important road of Bargarh will be free of traffic congestion.