ROURKELA: Incomplete sewerage works have emerged as a roadblock to the administration’s efforts to complete smart road projects and beautification plans in the Steel City well ahead of the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023. Roads lying damaged for years due to ongoing underground sewerage system continue to torment the citizens besides delaying the smart road project of Rourkela Smart City Ltd (RSCL).
The Phase-1 of the smart project being implemented at a cost of around Rs 22 crore from Panposh to Uditnagar portion of the Rourkela main road is facing bottlenecks at a few places due to the integrated sewerage system. The sewerage system covering 231 km is being executed since early 2017 at a cost of Rs 340.20 crore including five years maintenance cost. But due to technical and land hurdles, laying of sewerage line has been taken up on 185 km stretch of which 165 km is complete.
Similarly, the Phase-II work of the Smart project envisages development of 28 roads covering 22 km with underground and optical fibre cable ducting at a cost of around Rs 94 crore. However, work has started only on nine km as the Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board (OWSSB) is yet to hand over the remaining stretch. Sources said amid pressure from the administration, nodal agency OWSSB has asked contract firm L&T to expeditiously complete the remaining works. The L&T was given an extension of time in December last year. The pending works include house connection from the sewerage treatment plant (STP) at Balughat which is sporadically going on at Civil Township.
OWSSB sources informed that near RIMS at Chhend Colony, the main line linking is pending while the South Eastern Railway (SER) has recently given approval to lay underground sewerage lines beneath tracks through trenchless method near RN Pali police station and the congested Daily Market area.
Deputy project engineer of OWSSB Birendra Nanda claimed that the board is working in close coordination with RSCL and the city administration. The remaining road stretches would be handed over to RSCL soon.