Bhubaneswar: The development authority has expressed its inability to free a patch of land at Unit-VI earmarked for the Museum of Urban History.

The museum was planned under the Smart Cities Mission, which aimed to tell the city's history on canvas to show the evolution of Bhubaneswar from "Temple City" to "Smart City".

However, encroachment by a private school delayed the project.

Shortly after the general administration department handed over the site to it, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority undertook a demolition drive.

But, it only managed to demolish a part of the school's boundary wall.

"The matter is sub-judice and it forced us to stop the demolition. However, we have asked the school and mass education department to furnish details about how the school got the approval to function on the land belonging to the state government," said an official of the development authority.

"Once we get the report, we will try to resolve the matter," said the official.

The general administration department had handed over 2.34 acres to the authority in February to construct the museum. According to government records, the school has encroached on nearly one acre.

Besides the land problem, the authorities are yet to prepare a detailed project report. In the last smart city review meeting, officials said the report was being prepared, but the cost was fixed at Rs 9.40 crore.

"The city administration is simply dillydallying with smart city projects. It's almost been two years since it was selected under the scheme, but I can't see any positive change in infrastructure so far," said Saheed Nagar resident Minakshi Parida.