ROURKELA: After a prolonged delay, the Rourkela Smart City Ltd (RSCL) has finally given the go-ahead to strengthen a dozen of natural rainwater drains to free the Steel City from its perennial problem of water-logging during monsoon. The estimated cost of the process will be around Rs 80 crore.
The Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) has identified 12 natural drains between Bisra and Panposh Square for cement concrete fortification. These major drains carry domestic waste and rainwater to the nearby Brahmani river. However, these are in a dilapidated condition and are often clogged. Some also face encroachment as they run through congested commercial pockets.
In August 2018, many parts of the city faced water-logging following which the administration was forced to turn its attention towards the menace. The civic body found that a portion of a commercial building had come up over a 12 feet wide natural drain which ran below the Rourkela main road at the Old Taxi Stand.
The drain had become narrow by some feet and cleaning could not be carried out for a few decades due to lack of space as four shops and a private office had encroached on it. The RMC immediately started demolition work, but the process was halted with a stay order from court. The matter is still sub-judice. Besides, the RMC had also conducted a survey and prepared a technical report, but no further steps were taken.
Sources said several natural rainwater drains running through the main road face encroachments at congested pockets, posing challenge for the RMC. These include drains near Madhusudan statue, Chaudhary fuel filling station, Madu Maharaj Lane and Daily Market, Style Bazar and RN Pali police station.
RSCL Chief Executive Officer and RMC Commissioner Dibyajyoti Parida said tender process is underway for strengthening 12 major rainwater drains having a total length of 22 km at an estimated cost of around Rs 80 crore. These drains would also have water recharge points. Municipal drains would be systematically connected to permanently remove the water-logging woes of the city, Parida added.