With the monsoon season around the corner, Odisha’s Housing & Urban Development Minister, Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, conducted an on-site inspection of Bhubaneswar’s drainage system today.
His visit was aimed at ensuring proactive measures against waterlogging and urban flooding.
Accompanied by senior officials from the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Dr. Mahapatra reviewed drainage infrastructure at waterlogging-prone locations, including the ISKCON Temple near Krishna Tower, Kalinga Studio Square near the Ayurvedic Hospital, Rajiv Nagar, and Bomikhal near the Esplanade Mall and Durga Mandap.
Expressing concern over blockages and delays in cleaning operations, the Minister issued immediate directives for deploying additional manpower and machinery to expedite desilting efforts. Following his site visit, Dr. Mahapatra convened a video conference with all 115 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), reviewing their monsoon preparedness strategies, sanitation efforts, and revenue collection plans.
During the review, the Minister reinforced that negligence leading to waterlogging or public inconvenience would not be tolerated. “The safety and convenience of citizens during monsoon is non-negotiable,” he emphasised.
Principal Secretary of the Housing & Urban Development Department, Smt. Usha Padhee urged ULBs to rigorously implement the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the department. She assured full governmental support in mitigating monsoon-related urban challenges.
The Odisha government remains committed to enhancing urban infrastructure and flood management strategies, ensuring residents a safer and more resilient city during the rainy season.
