BMC to speed up drain, road works on city stretch after prod by citizen reporters
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Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to expedite drain and road construction on the stretch between Mangala Mandir Square and an apartment in Nayapalli's Behera Sahi area after citizen reporters flagged concerns about its poor condition.
Citizens had expressed concerns about piled-up soil, protruding iron rods and concrete plates occupying the carriageway, with rains making the situation worse for commuters.
"During the peak of the monsoon season, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation is undertaking road and drain construction, leading to significant construction debris and obstructions on the roads. The digging and accumulation of soil are making the roads slippery, especially with the rainfall.
If urgent measures are not implemented, it could result in accidents," wrote Bisworanjan Dash on TOI's Citizen Reporter app.
As construction is going on, the around 500-metre stretch with remnants of removed drain covers and stagnant water along the under-construction road has turned into a safety hazard for pedestrians and commuters.
Highlighting the problem, citizen reporter Rudra Narayan Jena from Chadrasekharpur, wrote, "The numerous drain construction projects currently underway in Bhubaneswar have significantly disrupted daily life.
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Roads have been excavated, and the resulting clay makes them dangerously slippery. It seems the BMC could have planned these projects more effectively. Ideally, they should have been completed before the peak rainy season or scheduled to start after the rains.
"
Behera Sahi spans from Gate 1 of Kalinga Stadium on one side to the Iskcon Temple on the other. In between, the internal roads either are pothole-filled, narrow or construction has been going on for a long time.
Mayor Sulochana Das said she has instructed the works department to expedite the construction. "I know the ongoing work is causing a little inconvenience. I told the officer concerned to fix it. There were several issues, including encroachment, which delayed road work on the stretch. Unless the drain work is finished, the road can't be constructed. So, it got delayed. But people will be relieved as measures will be taken to resolve the issues," Das told TOI.
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