Cuttack: Orissa high court has ordered an immediate halt to the laying of concrete paver blocks on the walking track inside Satyabrata Stadium within the protected Barabati Fort area, directing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to restore it to its original unpaved condition.Expressing concern over public safety and underscoring the risks associated with hard paving surfaces, the bench comprising Justices K R Mohapatra and V Narasingh said, “In view of the health hazards posed by these concrete blocks, especially their hard, non-shock-absorbing surface that can cause joint strain, foot problems, and increase the risk of slips and falls — particularly for the elderly and children — and since the authorities chose to sacrifice citizens’ basic right to walk safely, this Court directs the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to immediately stop laying paver blocks on the walking track of Satyabrata Stadium.”The bench further directed that “the paver blocks already laid, be removed, restoring the track back to its ‘un-paved’ state.” The ASI has been asked to submit a compliance affidavit by April 9, when its superintendent will appear before the court.The direction came after taking cognisance of reports published in vernacular newspapers, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation on civic issues in Cuttack on March 26.During the hearing, the court was informed that the district administration was unaware of the ongoing work to pave the walking track. Appearing in the matter, members of bar association, including president Manoj Kumar Mishra and secretary Avijit Patnaik, along with amicus curiae Bijay Kumar Dash, alleged that “oblivious of the health hazards the walking track is being covered with concrete paver blocks”.They also raised concerns over the timing of the project, stating that “when the district administration is in the process of submitting DPR relating to the overall development of Satyabrata Stadium, public money is being siphoned off in paving the walking track with concrete at this stage with undue haste”.Prasanna Kumar Parhi, deputy solicitor general, submitted before the court that the work had already been stopped since Wednesday. However, the claim was vociferously opposed by the members of the bar association.
