BHUBANESWAR: The ineffective drainage network of the Capital stood exposed yet again as heavy rain that lashed the city on Tuesday night disrupted normal life for a couple of hours. A number of arterial roads in the city witnessed waterlogging on Wednesday morning. The drains were of a little help as roads were covered with rain water after the city experienced a rainfall of 78 mm.
Parts of Bomikhal stretch on Cuttack-Puri road remained waterlogged twice on Tuesday and Wednesday as water couldn’t pass through the chocked drain. Following which, workers of a private agency roped in by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) desilted the drain in the morning. Similarly, parts of Nigamananda Nagar, Laxmisagar, Nayapalli, Soubhagya Nagar and the road in front of Kochilei haat in Rasulgarh faced waterlogging though water receded gradually after two/three hours. Waterlogging in Bomikhal-Rasulgarh stretch after rain has become a regular affair.
However, neither BMC nor the R&B Division of Works department are taking any measures to address the problem. Besides, the drainage repair work is yet to start in most parts of the city while the delay in timely desiltation of storm water channels and internal drains is making things worse. Locals alleged that if adequate measures are not taken early, the city may face another urban deluge during monsoon this year.
BMC Executive Engineer (Drainage Division) Pradip Duria, however, said they have requested the R&B Division to address the waterlogging menace on Bomikhal stretch. The civic body will carry out desiltation of major storm water channels in two phases in March and April. The regular dislitation of internal drains will also be expedited, he added.
City records all-time high rainfall in February
Bhubaneswar: The Capital on Wednesday received an all-time high rainfall for February when it recorded 78.2 mm showers in last 24 hours. “The city had received 77.4 mm rainfall on February 24, 1995,” said Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Director HR Biswas. Bhawanipatna recorded 35 mm rainfall, Sambalpur 26 mm, Balasore, Paradip and Talcher witnessed 21 mm each, while Cuttack recorded 19.4 during the same period. Meanwhile, the regional met office has forecast light rainfall at one or two places over coastal Odisha on Thursday. Met office also predicted dense fog.