Bhubaneswar: In a bid to tackle urban flooding and promote sustainable water body management in the Capital region, Housing and Urban Development Department principal secretary Usha Padhee conducted an early morning visit to the Ganguanala and Daya West Canal areas here Saturday.
Padhee was accompanied by key officials, including Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) vice chairman N Thirumala Naik, additional secretary Satrughan Kar, along with senior engineers and planners.
Padhee assessed the condition of critical drainage channels and associated water bodies, which play a vital role in the City’s flood management system.
Discussions were held on immediate and long-term measures for desilting, cleaning, and restoring the natural flow of these channels.
The team also reviewed encroachment issues, structural bottlenecks, and emphasised the need for integrated planning to improve the water-carrying capacity and environmental quality of these urban watercourses.
Padhee emphasised the importance of a holistic approach that integrates engineering solutions with ecological restoration and community involvement.
She instructed officials to develop an action plan with clear timelines for intervention, ensuring alignment with Bhubaneswar’s broader vision of becoming a flood-resilient and sustainable urban centre.
PNN
