Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has submitted a proposal for widening of 10 existing natural drains in the capital city worth Rs 1,000 crore to the Housing and Urban Development department (H&UD) for approval.
Under the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), about 60 acres of land will be acquired for widening of 10 natural drainage channels. The project has come against the backdrop Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s announcement of a special package of Rs 1,000 crore for drainage development across the city March 6 this year.
“About Rs 620 crore of the total allocation will be spent on acquisition of lands needed for widening of drains. Similarly, Rs 306 crore will be spent on construction purposes like raising the height of the channels from 3 to 4 feet. The remaining amount will be used in constructing more than 190 small drains,” an official form BMC’s drainage division said.
The 10 natural drainage channels are carriers of storm water for the capital city. In a recent survey conducted by the BMC, the experts identified the original path of the natural drainage channels. The survey revealed that the increasing urbanisation needed bigger drainage infrastructure to efficiently carry storm water during monsoon.
In October last year the civic body had requested people to give away some portion of their lands located near the natural drainage channels. However, many people were reluctant to do this and as a result waterlogging has become a niggling issue in the capital city.
“The work for the new drains will be taken up on a priority basis as it will help prevent waterlogging near major areas of Gouri Sankar English Medium School, Behera Sahi, Pokhariput and Bhagabat Sandhan areas. Salia Sahi – the biggest slum in the City will also get relief from waterlogging as a huge drain will be constructed near Tarini Nagar that will prevent water running from National Highway-16,” the official added.