Bhubaneswar: An apartment named ‘Raj Vatika’ was built on forest land at Patharagadia locality on the outskirts of State Capital about eight years ago and it thrives even today. However, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) initially took steps opposing the construction and is now in limbo.

Previously, BDA had approved a Building Plan with regard to the construction and subsequently declared it as ‘illegal structure’ on the said ground. BDA had issued a notification requesting people not to buy any flats in the apartment. The BDA also wrote to organisations concerned asking them not to accord electricity and water supply. Finally, it resorted to the court of law seeking an order for demolition.

Even to the extent, BDA then asked the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) not to issue a ‘no objection certificate’ in favour of the construction company. On the contrary, the construction work went on and after completion, a number of people (buyers) have been residing in the apartment.

Interestingly, the illegal residential complex is located under Infocity police limits in Bhubaneswar.

According to a source, the five-storey apartment was built by JJ Muktesvara Construction Private Limited and BMC earlier issued a ‘no objection certificate’. The Building Plan was accorded in 2010 and a revised plan was issued in 2014, which was cancelled in 2015. BDA then appealed to court for the demolition through case (No-UAP-543/2014) against the director of JJ Muktesvara Construction Dhananjay Kumar.

It is worth mentioning that as per Sabak Khata number 325/28, the apartment stands on plot number 1286/1619 of Patharagadia mouza under Bhubaneswar tehsil limits. The plot was subdivided into seven subplots at a later stage and has a total of around 930 decimals of land, which was sold and purchased for six times prior to coming to the hands of the construction company and the land type was changed.