Artificial waterlogging woes in smart city Bhubaneswar to end soon: Minister reviews key locations

Relief is in sight for the residents of Bhubaneswar, the state's smart city, who have long been grappling with the issue of artificial waterlogging, especially during the monsoon. To address this persistent urban challenge, Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Tuesday conducted an on-ground review of several critical locations in the city that are prone to water accumulation.

Accompanied by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner, the City Engineer, local MLA Babu Singh, and several corporators, the Minister undertook a joint inspection and held discussions on immediate and long-term remedial measures.

Special focus has been laid on areas that witness severe waterlogging during the rainy season, disrupting daily life and traffic. The visit aimed to identify the root causes and explore sustainable drainage solutions to prevent recurrence.

Authorities have assured that actionable steps will be taken soon based on today’s observations and consultations. The Odisha government is committed to enhancing the city’s stormwater management infrastructure to ensure a waterlogging-free Bhubaneswar, in line with its Smart City vision.

“The reason for the blockage as the passage is not clear, and there is no scope. We are trying to create an alternate way and release into drain number 10. In the coming years, there will be a separate drain from ISKCON to Vani Vihar. We are making a temporary arrangement here,” said the Minister. 

The Minister said that efforts are on to ensure that there is no waterlogging this monsoon season.