BHUBANESWAR: Even as the state capital is undergoing massive transformation ahead of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention, the Mancheswar Industrial Estate, despite being a key locality in the city, has been conspicuously neglected.
While most parts of the city have come alive with cleanliness drives, beautification projects and infrastructure upgradation, Mancheswar, which houses several industries and institutions including the World Skill Centre in the north zone, is reeling under a host of civic issues.
With dust pollution hanging heavy in the air, the locality is considered one of the most polluted areas of the city. Even as two days are left for the global event, most road stretches of the industrial area continue to remain covered in a thick layer of dust with frequent movement of vehicles, ongoing drainage construction by the Idco and lack of road maintenance.
While most of the road stretches in the area are riddled with potholes and uneven surfaces making commuting a daily struggle, unused vehicles parked along the roadsides further contribute to the locality’s disarray. Local residents and traders alleged that garbage collection too is an inconsistent affair, with trash piled up in drains increasing the risk of health hazards.
“In the absence of any enforcement, the canal along the industrial area has turned into a dumping site near Sameigadia. The international event should have been an opportunity to fix these problems but Mancheswar area is lying ignored,” said Sujit Das, a local trader.
Business owners in the area said they were expecting the preparations for PBD to bring some improvements but the place appears to be invisible to the authorities.
Zonal deputy commissioner (ZDC-north) in-charge Sasi Bhusan Mahapatro couldn’t be reached for his comments while a senior BMC official admitted that Mancheswar wasn’t a part of the priority network of the 55 roads where the movement of delegates will be high during the event from January 8 to 10. He said the development of the locality will be taken up in the second phase after the event.