BHUBANESWAR: Even as the Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) has failed to take up the much-hyped ‘Lake Neutral’ project on drain no-10, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has firmed up plans to develop the 3-km stretch of the natural storm water channel in the city into a vibrant public space emulating Gujarat’s Sabarmati riverfront and other similar successful projects.
The BDA will restore the polluted natural drain from Vidyut Marg to Cuttack-Puri road into a hub of recreational activities and public centre with promenades, parks and other attractions. The project is estimated to be over Rs 100 crore, BDA sources said.
Despite being a critical urban waterway, the drainage no-10, spanning around 5.48 km and passing through the heart of the city, lies in a degraded condition, carrying untreated sewage and waste water from surrounding residential and commercial areas.
BDA officials, however, said the three lake zones - zone-1 (Bidyut Marg to Sachivalaya Marg), zone-2 (Sachivalaya Marg to Janpath) and zone-3 (Janpath to Cuttack-Puri road) - covering an estimated 100 acres land on both sides of the channel over 3.26 km stretch present a significant opportunity for urban rejuvenation, ecological restoration and community development. The area located centrally is well-connected and holds immense potential for public recreation, tourism and commercial activity, they said.
An executive engineer from BDA said they have decided to develop the three zones around the storm water channel in line with the successful models of Sabarmati riverfront and other similar projects. The BDA has floated a request for proposal (RFP) from qualified consultancy firms to undertake a comprehensive survey and prepare the detailed project report (DPR) and master plan for the project.
“Once the consultant is finalised, the survey and DPR work will be taken up and project cost will be finalised. The initial cost has been estimated at over Rs 100 crore,” he said.
The field assessment of BDA has so far revealed that the channel is heavily obstructed by vegetation, solid waste and accumulated sludge. There are also no retaining walls or structural linings along the drain, while direct discharge from adjacent residential and commercial properties continues unchecked.
The BSCL had earlier attempted to take up the ‘Lake Neutral’ project along the drainage channel no-10 under Smart City Mission. However, its proposal with an estimated outlay of around Rs 79 crore was reportedly rejected by the Centre in 2023, owing to delay in plan submission.
BSCL general manager (administration) Purandar Nanda, however, said BSCL had taken up the project on its own at an investment of around Rs 10 crore and commenced the project work on Janpath to Cuttack-Puri road stretch.
