Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court has issued a show-cause notice to the Odisha Chief Secretary over allegations of encroachment on a busy stretch of the Old Airport Road passing through Naveen Niwas in Bhubaneswar, the residence of former chief minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik.

The court acted on a public interest litigation filed by RTI activist Prakash Chandra Das, who sought judicial intervention to remove the alleged obstruction and restore smooth movement for pedestrians and vehicles.

PIL highlights commuter hardship

According to the petition, daily commuters face serious inconvenience while using the Old Airport Road and Ekamra Road, which are key routes connecting Biju Patnaik International Airport and the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar. The petitioner claimed that the barricading of one side of the double-lane road near Naveen Niwas has led to frequent traffic jams and accidents.

The plea stated that school buses, private vehicles and public transport often get stuck at the narrowed stretch, creating long delays during peak hours.

Emergency services allegedly affected

The petition also raised concerns about emergency response. It alleged that ambulances and fire tenders face difficulty passing through the blocked stretch, which at times results in loss of life and property that could otherwise have been prevented.

Das argued that the obstruction has continued for years under the pretext of security arrangements for Naveen Patnaik, even after he ceased to be the chief minister.

Questioning the security-based blockade

The PIL pointed out that Patnaik held the post of chief minister for nearly 24 years and is now serving as the Leader of Opposition. With a new government in place, the petitioner argued that there is no valid justification for blocking an entire lane of a public road in the name of security.

Invoking Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution, the petitioner urged the High Court to use its extraordinary powers to address what was described as illegal, arbitrary and irrational action carried out with the alleged connivance of authorities.

The High Court has sought a response from the state government on the matter.