Bhubaneswar: After telecast of waterlogging problem in different areas of Bhubaneswar for few hours in media, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Krishan Kumar today said excess water can be drained out from the city during rainy days to ensure zero waterlogging.
Talking to media after a review meeting here, Krishan Kumar said the city has been divided into 12 sectors and 13 teams including one at the control room will be deployed to ensure no waterlogging.
Each team will be supervised by a junior engineer and will be armed with a JCB machine and tractor, he added.
He emphatically stated drainage system cleaning is going on round the clock. “Around 300 to 600 people are working in two shifts to remove garbage from the drains,” he mentioned.
Blaming NHAI for waterlogging near National Highways at Iskcon temple, Pahala and Bomikhal area, Kumar said, “Despite urging the highway authority to build drains for release of excess water, they didn’t pay any heed.”
However, the BMC has engaged 10 pumps to drain water near the highway, he said.
Besides, the BMC has set up a 24-hr control room 06742430038 to take up grievances and help denizens resolve waterlogging issue.
Incessant rains have caused artificial flood like situation in the twin cities today with several residential colonies, low lying areas suffering the brunt of waterlogging as communication was disrupted bringing normal life to a standstill. Places like Acharya Vihar, Jaydev Vihar, Krishna Tower, Shastri Nagar, Satyanagar and Laxmi Sagar faced waterlogging issues following the rain. Commuters and pedestrians had a harrowing time to cross roads and people were seen taking shelter below the road over-bridges at Jaydev Vihar, Acharya Vihar, Vani Vihar, Fire Station and Rajmahal Square blocking vehicular traffic.
In Cuttack, torrential downpour filled up several areas with knee deep water bringing traffic to a standstill. Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) used employed 16 volvo water pumps to suck out the excess water while Matrubhavan sluice gate was also opened up to flush out excess rainwater directly into the Taladanda canal.