Kotpad: In Koraput district, the road connecting Jeypore, Haralaput, Kusumi, and Kotpad towns has been widened, and a new drainage system has been constructed by the administration. The road widening project had been delayed for a long time due to encroachments on both sides of the road from Gopal Rice Mill to Kurumichhak. Most of the land on either side of this road was government-owned, with some under leasehold. Several people had encroached on the land, and some had even built houses, leading to the obstruction of the work.
The road near Jeypore’s Uplikapara area was identified as heavily encroached. Upon identifying the land, local administration was directed to carry out eviction immediately. The administration began the eviction under Section 1884:25. The operation was carried out in the presence of then local Tehsildar M. Nacharanarantu, Executive Officer (AIC) Pooja Raut, Kotpad Police Officer Premananda Sunani, Revenue Inspectors, and police force. The eviction was executed using bulldozers.
During the eviction, a few business owners expressed dissatisfaction. However, the administration had already given three days’ notice to vacate the encroached land. Citizens were warned that if they failed to vacate in time, bulldozers would be deployed again.
Old roads and drains were demolished and reconstructed in a modern format. For the purpose of road widening, lands were identified, and boundaries of shops and houses were adjusted. Some portions of encroached land were thus cleared, raising hopes among locals for a well-constructed road leading to Gudumi Chhak and improved transportation.
However, that hope has yet to be fully realized. With traffic congestion increasing daily in the Kotpad area, demands for road widening had been rising. It is believed that if road widening is completed, traffic issues may be reduced to some extent.
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