Iskcon flooding: Joint squad digs 100-metre-long drain

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Bhubaneswar: In order to remove obstructions on the side drain of Behera Sahi originating from near the siphon in front of Krishna Towers, Nayapalli, and straighten it for better disposal of rainwater, the joint squad of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) carried out an enforcement drive and made an excavation of 100 metres to release the water through a shorter route.
The action was necessitated as the road and the accompanying drain inside Behera Sahi was having a circuitous path and at many places the secondary drain originating from the siphon was obstructed and encroached by the locals causing little flow of rainwater.
While the other branch of the siphon’s mouth passing through Bhoi Sahi is having a normal flow, non-passage of rainwater on its counterpart was partly contributing towards flooding on the NH-16 near Iskcon temple.
Secondly, the encroachment of the straight road from the NH from near Harekrishna Khimji Jewellers towards Behera Sahi was causing problems for the commuters. In other words, the encroachments and obstructions were affecting the existing road and the flow of rainwater emanating from the siphon in front of Krishna Towers.
Additional Commissioner-cum-Member Enforcement BDA, Bhabani Chayani, said, “Today’s action involving demolition and removal of obstructions from the road and excavation of 100-metre drain on Behera Sahi end gave the local residents a relief in two ways, i.e. getting a clear access to NH and also passage of rainwater.’’
Executive Engineer and Drainage Division in-charge of BMC, Pradip Duria, said, “The new path for the drain is to reduce the circuitous path of its earlier spread and making it straight. This would definitely help release more water from the siphon-end near Krishna Tower towards Behera Sahi, so that the rainwater reaches the nearby origin point of Drainage Channel No. 10.”
Encroachments, faulty design of flyover and encroachment by locals have made waterlogging a major issue in and around Iskcon temple.
However, during recent meetings between the civic authorities and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), it was decided to have a long-term plan for the area so that the waterlogging issue is addressed properly. The Central Enforcement Monitoring Committee is also taking steps to facilitate better flow of rainwater and solve the waterlogging issue.