Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken steps towards finding a permanent solution to the city’s recurring waterlogging problem, with IIT Roorkee submitting a draft master plan designed to address drainage and flooding issues over the next 50 years.
The draft master plan was presented at the 43rd General Corporation meeting of the BMC held at Ekamra Hall at the civic body’s headquarters here Friday. The meeting was chaired by BMC Mayor Sulochana Das.
According to the Mayor, the BMC had signed an agreement with IIT Roorkee February 18, 2025, for preparation of a comprehensive master plan to tackle waterlogging during the monsoon. The draft submitted by IIT Roorkee details the proposed connectivity of various drains and measures aimed at ensuring that waterlogging does not persist in any part of the city.
The plan has been prepared keeping in view Bhubaneswar’s projected population growth and requirements for the next five decades. The final version of the master plan is expected to be submitted shortly, following which the civic body will begin the implementation process.
The meeting also discussed the possible merger of several panchayats located around Bhubaneswar with the municipal corporation.
The Mayor said several areas situated close to the city currently do not have access to adequate urban civic amenities. The proposal to bring such areas under the BMC was discussed at the meeting, along with various development initiatives for the affected areas.
Sanitation and waste management were also among the key issues discussed during the meeting.
The BMC said work on a plant at Meherpalli for producing biogas from wet waste is progressing rapidly and is expected to become operational soon. The initiative is aimed at promoting waste-to-energy solutions and improving the city’s waste management system.
The civic body has also decided to auction several ponds in Bhubaneswar for fish farming.
The BMC will celebrate Local Self-Government Day August 31, as it does every year.
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