BHUBANESWAR: With monsoon knocking at the doors, delay in drainage desiltation work has led to fear of waterlogging in the Capital.
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that only around 60 per cent of desiltation of major drains in the city has been completed so far. The city has 13 major storm water drains of 65.62 km length and desiltation is yet to be completed for at least 26 km.
Though tenders for desiltation of natural storm water channels was floated in April, bids were finalised only on May 10. This led to delay in issuance of the work orders by two weeks, sources said. The work orders were issued after May 15.
Apart from delay in desiltation of major storm water channels, partial desiltation of internal drains is the biggest worry. Sources in BMC's drainage division said only around 56 per cent desiltation of internal drains in all wards has been completed till date. The city has around 560 km internal drains spread across 67 wards of which around 247 km length is yet to be cleaned.
The civic body spends more than Rs 2 crore every year to carry out desiltation of internal drains. It has engaged three agencies -- Jagruti, Ramky and PMR Consortium -- for drainage desiltation work in 57 wards.
While Jagruti cleans 28 wards, Ramky is in charge of 15 and PMR Consortium 14. The remaining 10 wards are cleaned by BMC’s own workers.
Executive engineer Goutam Chandra Das said that COVID-19 has been a major hindrance in carrying out desiltation in many areas. "We have been receiving grievance from agencies on problems in engaging workers for drainage desiltation due to COVID-19," he said.
However, Das said desiltation work has been expedited as per the direction of Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Singh in view of Cyclone Yaas.
City engineer Arun Kumar Naik said the cleaning and desiltation works will be completed by June 15. Baladeb Routray, desiltation supervising officer of Jagruti, said of the 28 wards covered by Jagruti, 90 per cent desiltation has been completed in more than 20.
"We have set target to complete desiltation work in all our wards by June 10," he added.