Residents accuse developer of encroaching upon common road

Bhubaneswar: Residents of a major housing project in GGP Colony accused the developer of encroaching on their common road to facilitate work for a second construction project being executed adjacent to the existing apartment complex.

According to the residents, heavy vehicles and construction machinery entered through the road earmarked exclusively for the housing complex, causing inconvenience and posing safety risks to more than 50 families. They alleged that this continued despite the second project reportedly failing to secure necessary approvals from the civic body.


Following the ongoing road-related dispute, the residents further claimed that the developer also occupied common areas within the existing apartment complex. These included portions of the ground floor, parking spaces, and the main entry gate area, which they alleged were used for unauthorised commercial and institutional activities.

Pabitra Kumar Parida, secretary of the residents’ association, said the occupation left them with limited parking, compromised safety at the main gate, which remained open round the clock, and caused persistent nuisance within what was classified as a purely residential zone.

The residents repeatedly wrote to multiple authorities over the past several months, highlighting additional concerns such as a lack of a compound wall, stagnation of rainwater in the basement of the complex, and the deteriorating condition of the internal infrastructure.

They alleged that despite several inspection reports and orders issued in their favour by different forums, including the Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA) and the Odisha Development Authority (ODA) Court, no corrective action was taken on the ground.

Responding to the escalating complaints, the housing and urban development department forwarded the residents’ grievance petitions to key urban authorities, including the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), ORERA, and the directorate of town planning.

In an official communication, Satish Chandra Singh, joint secretary, housing and urban development department, directed these agencies to take necessary action and directly intimate the petitioner about the steps taken, while also keeping the department informed.

The department directed the enforcement bodies to examine the allegations and proceed accordingly. “We are repeatedly approaching the top officials, requesting their intervention, but so far no concrete steps have been taken by the govt. We are totally disappointed by the govt’s inaction,” Parida said.