CUTTACK: Taking serious note of the precarious condition of roads and waterlogging in Cuttack city following recent rains, the Orissa High Court has summoned senior government and civic officials for a special sitting on Saturday to address the problem.
A special bench of Justices KR Mohapatra and V Narasingh issued the direction while hearing the PIL on civic issues in the city. The bench has directed the additional chief secretary, Housing and Urban Development department, secretary of Works department, engineer-in-chief, Works department, commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation and director, municipal administration, to appear either personally or through virtual mode.
The bench has been receiving assistance from an Advocates’ Committee headed by the president and secretary of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA).
During Thursday’s hearing, Md Shahbaz, superintending engineer, R&B Division-I, Cuttack, and Atanu Kumar Samanta, city engineer, Cuttack Municipal Corporation, joined the proceedings virtually.
The bench, however, was not satisfied with their submissions regarding the prevailing civic situation. “From their submission, it appears that they have no idea about the road condition and waterlogging at different places in Cuttack Municipal Corporation,” it observed.
Taking note of the situation, the court said, “Looking at the precarious condition of the roads of the entire Kataka city and waterlogging at different places, a special sitting of this bench shall be held on 29th August, 2026 at 10.30 am.”
The High Court has voiced repeated concern over Cuttack’s persistent waterlogging. In July 2025, the court had termed the recurring problem a reflection of administrative failure and remarked that despite repeated assurances, citizens continued to suffer. “The only thing that is constant is the suffering of the citizens of the city on account of waterlogging,” the court had observed.
The CMC had submitted that waterlogging for two to five hours was inevitable in some parts because of the city’s low-lying topography. It had explained that Cuttack lies in between and below the river-bed level of the Mahanadi and Kathajodi, causing drainage to take time.
The civic body had also said that even when dewatering pumps operate at full capacity, accumulated rainwater cannot recede immediately as drains first need to discharge water into larger waterbodies.
