BHUBANESWAR: After the water-logging problem on NH-16 near Iskcon temple here grabbed national focus, a blame game ensued between Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) on Sunday as both held each other responsible for the menace. The BMC, in a letter to NHAI Chief General Manager, Bhubaneswar, said the de-silting of the road drain and cleaning of trap well of the culvert along the NH overbridge near Iskcon temple is yet to be done by the NHAI authorities for which the water-logging takes place after a brief spell of rain. “This has been brought to your notice several times for the last four years but the action taken by NHAI is not encouraging enough,” the BMC drainage division executive engineer wrote.
Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena also blamed the NHAI and said apart from NHAI, they have informed the Works department to conduct a survey of other such localities for development of a strong drainage network. However, hitting back at the civic administration, NHAI CGM D Sarangi said BMC has not built the drain in the area properly. “It is not our fault. On Iskcon temple side, we have constructed culverts with sufficient width. However, it has been blocked in the downstream which is leading to stagnation of water in the area,” he said.
Sarangi said, “As natural force has already been blocked due to ongoing constructions and development works along the service road of the NH in the area, the water-logging can be prevented if BMC constructs fresh drain.”He further said the present drain which is linked to the culvert is very small in width and has been blocked on the back side of Krishna tower where it is linked to the main drain.
“Time and again, we have informed them that the culvert we have constructed near Iskcon temple has sufficient capacity and it is the drains which the civic authorities need to expand.” Sarangi said adding, “We can construct culvert only within the area under our possession. But, beyond the boundary, only civic authorities can carry out the construction.”