SOP to sort out urban road blues

BHUBANESWAR: With road construction and renovation frequently damaging sewer manholes and other underground utilities, including water supply lines in urban areas, the Housing and Urban Development Department has woken up to the problem.

The Department has decided to develop a standard operating procedure (SOP) which would be useful for administrative departments to coordinate among themselves to prevent such issues leading to immense public inconvenience. A committee constituted for the purpose will devise the SOP and prepare a standard tender clause.

The SOP will outline what precautions must be taken by the road authorities to ensure that sewer manholes are not concealed during construction and repair works. Similarly, unnecessarily raising the road levels periodically by different road agencies will not be allowed. Arbitrary raising of the road levels has led to frequent flooding of residential houses in urban pockets where the road agencies do not follow the drainage systems and the topography of the residential blocks.

Besides, the SOP will also cover how the agencies must work in a coordinated manner so that underground utilities like water supply, sewerage, electrical installations, telephone cables and OFC are not damaged. Construction of sewer manholes to flush at road levels will also be covered.

A standard clause about SOPs in all road construction tender documents will also be incorporated.The committee, to be headed by Secretary, Works Department, will comprise Chief Engineer, PH (Urban); Member Secretary, Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board; City Engineer of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation; Senior Engineer, OPTCL and representative of BSNL. It will submit report within a month.