CUTTACK: Two ring roads along river Mahanadi and Kathjodi within the ambit of Millennium City will be developed and beautified soon.The Water Resources Department sanctioned Rs 1.76 crore for upgradation of the 17-km-long two ring roads and its two footpaths encircling three sides of the city. While the bitumen work of Kathjodi ring road stretching from Chahata to Khannagar will be executed at a cost of Rs 48 lakh, its footpath will be developed at a cost of Rs 40 lakh.
Similarly, Rs 48 lakh has been estimated to be spent towards execution of bitumen work on Mahanadi ring road stretching from Chahata to Sikharpur, while Rs 40 lakh has been provisioned for improvement of its footpath.Superintending Engineer (SE) Bijay Mishra recently held a review meeting for starting improvement works of the ring roads and footpath at the earliest, said Baleswar Nath Sahoo, Executive Engineer, Mahanadi South division.
Apart from development of the two ring roads and footpaths, both sides of Taladanda canal road stretching from Jobra will be improved at a cost of Rs 35 lakh besides execution of 26 projects on different branch canals of both Mahanadi and Kathajodi rivers at a cost of Rs 5.6 crore. The Water Resources Department has sanctioned total Rs 19 crore under State Plan in 2018-2019 for the same.
Considering the need of fund for strengthening embankments of the two rivers passing through the city and maintenance of saline embankment, the Mahanadi South division had sought financial assistance from NABARD during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 financial years.However, with the recommendation of Chief Minister, NABARD has approved 11 projects and sanctioned Rs 18.13 crore during the 2018 -2019 fiscal for the same.
The 11 approved projects include 10 on the right side of Mahandi river and a single project on saline embankment in Erasama locality. NABARD has also extended a financial assistance to the tune of Rs 2 crore for the ongoing construction work of the bridge over Taladanda canal near the Settlement Office in the city, Sahoo informed.