Chief Secretary Reviews Bhubaneswar Drainage Plans

Bhubaneswar:16/5/25: In preparation for the upcoming monsoon season, Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja chaired a high-level review meeting on Friday at Lok Seva Bhawan to assess drainage infrastructure and flood preparedness in Bhubaneswar.

The meeting focused on resolving persistent waterlogging issues during heavy rainfall in several low-lying areas of the city. Chief Secretary Ahuja directed officials to expedite all pending drainage work in vulnerable zones and ensure completion before the onset of the monsoon.

Key officials in attendance included Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC); N. Thurumala Nayak, Vice-Chairman of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA); representatives from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI); and senior engineers from various civic and infrastructure bodies.

Ahuja reviewed chronic waterlogging sites including ISKCON Temple Road, Cuttack Road, Ahalya Nagar, AIIMS area, and Laxmisagar, issuing clear instructions for urgent and coordinated action.

During the briefing, BMC Commissioner Patil informed that the city has 77.07 kilometers of major natural drains and approximately 1,839 kilometers of internal drainage channels, which are managed by agencies such as BMC, the Public Works Department (PWD), the Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO), and NHAI. Despite ongoing works, heavy rainfall continues to overwhelm drainage capacity in many areas.

Ahuja noted that around ₹300 crore has been allocated from both national and state government funds for drainage construction and repair. He emphasized the need for seamless coordination among all departments and executing agencies to ensure timely and effective completion of projects.