BHUBANESWAR: Facing severe criticism over recurring waterlogging on the Iskcon temple road stretch of NH-16, the state government has sanctioned funds for the construction of a modern drainage system to mitigate urban flooding during the monsoon.
Announcing the decision, BMC officials said Rs 50 crore has been released for major drainage works across the city, of which Rs 30 crore has been earmarked for developing a modern drainage network near the Iskcon temple.
The project will cover the stretch from Iskcon temple to Vani Vihar, where the proposed channel will be linked to a main drain to facilitate the smooth discharge of stormwater, a BMC official said.
Waterlogging on the busy thoroughfare even in the event of moderate rainfall has remained a major concern for the civic authorities and NHAI. Though multiple attempts had been made in the last one decade, the issue has remained unresolved. An underground drain plan connecting the drainage stretch to main drain near Vani Vihar was also conceived years back but it couldn’t materialise, owing to alleged poor coordination and issues involved in land acquisition. This project is expected to largely address the issue. Another Rs 20 crore will be spent for restoration of other drains, the official said.