BMC plans city makeover before next yr’s hockey WC

Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday started its 30-charter drive for a massive makeover of the city in every sphere by fixing the loopholes in view of the upcoming Men’s Hockey World Cup, 2023, scheduled to be held in the smart city.
Be it potholes on roads, stray cattle menace or footpath encroachment, the BMC has listed all the grey areas so as to make it convenient for the officers concerned to take up the work.
BMC commissioner Vijay Kulange said three additional commissioners have been assigned areas to repair roads on a priority basis besides other important work that rob the city of its natural beauty.
“I have noticed overhead cables criss-crossing and hanging dangerously. This is not only an eyesore but also can pose a danger to commuters. We have been implementing the free right of way (ROW) drive. ROW is the public realm (space) along an artery, including the motorable road, footpath and parking. Hoardings must be removed from ROW. The deputy commissioners have been asked to ensure enforcement along the ROW,” Kulange said.
Under its 30-charter drive, the BMC also take up repairs of medians and the streetlights installed on it through the major arteries. The electrical wing has been directed to inspect the defunct lights and install the new ones. Also, the squads will check whether the poles have become weak. “We will remove all the hanging cables that are running over street light poles along the medians. It looks ugly,” the commissioner added.
Along the footpath, there shouldn’t be any signage board. Unnecessary soil- construction and demolition debris waste should not be visible on roads and public places as they can cause accidents and lend an ugly look to a road, he said.
The BMC will also take up drip-irrigation to ensure survival of the plants (shrubs) along the medians. It has also decided to trim the branches of three trees that cover traffic lights.
The bus stops of the Mo Bus, which is another attractive feature of the city, will be cleaned regularly.
Walls at certain vantage points will be painted or artists will draw on them.. The location will be selected by BMC teams so that it adds to the beauty of the city.