Bhubaneswar civic body plans to de-silt and repair drains

BHUBANESWAR: With only a few weeks to go for the monsoon season, the works department is yet to take up de-silting and repairing of the drains running along the major arteries of capital city.
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) additional commissioner Suryawanshi Mayur Vikash said they have taken up the matter with the works department and have sent two reminders as well. “The department will take up the work and it should complete the de-siltation before monsoon arrives,” he added.
Sources said the drains along major arteries can help direct the stagnant water on roads caused due to incessant water to bigger natural drainage channel. If drains remain clogged or choked, it can take the stagnant water in them and in turn spill over to roads. If it is done well within time, monsoonal deluge can be prevented.
“Currently, de-siltation work is going in 13 natural drainage channels. Almost 30% of the work on the 77-km-long natural drainage channels is done. De-siltation will be taken up again after monsoon,” Gautam Das, superintending engineer (BMC drainage division), said.
The city often gets flooded even with just half an hour of downpour, leading to the drains being choked and rain water gushing into localities.
BMC additional commissioner Suvendu Sahu said the work on internal drains (drains in wards and in residential areas) has been almost complete. “These are the small drains that work as shock absorber during rain and they take in them flowing water of the streets. Here are there are altogether 600km of internal drains,” he said.
Last year, the BMC had identified 37 vulnerable points that witness water logging during monsoon. Besides Jharpada and Siddhi Nagar near City Women’s college, waterlogging complaints come from Acharya Vihar, Rasulgarh, Laxmisagar, Old Airport road, Jaydev Vihar, Nayapalli, Iskcon Temple and several other places.