Bhubaneswar: The ongoing survey to identify encroachment around the famed Lingaraj temple of Bhubaneswar has been extended till Saturday, Bhubaneswar development Authority (BDA) has said.
The survey was initially targeted to be over in two days by Wednesday, but the joint team carrying it out was able to complete only 40 per cent of the work in the stipulated time. The team has taken three day extension to complete the work following which a detailed report will be submitted to BDA.
Eviction drive will begins after the report is analysed at depth.
A team comprising Khurda ADM Arun Kumar Behera, temple administrator Pradeep Kumar Sahu, an amin, an RI and officials from BMC, BDA, temple administration and Road and Building department started the survey from Lions gate Tuesday. Wednesday Bindusagar and Koti Tirtha Lane were mapped. But incessant rain affected the work, a source said.
Notably, many government and temple lands around the shrine have been encroached. Starting from local businessmen to local residents to makeshift vendors have encroached upon these lands. It has led to inconvenience and traffic chaos for the tourists and pilgrims.
Government, private and temple lands are coming under this survey. Each patch of land that gets identified as encroached upon, gets a yellow mark.
It may be mentioned here that the 12th century Puri Jagannath temple has recently been made free from all encroachments by demolishing all unauthorised constructions, including centuries-old mutts, within 75 metres of its boundary wall.
PNN