The roads of Chintamanishwar (top) and Baramunda (above) which will be renovated as part of the Centre-funded BMC renovation plan. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, March 13: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) would repair 31 roads in the city and revive 18 choking waterbodies at a cost of Rs 15.04 crore.

While Rs 10.04 crore would be spent on repair of roads, Rs 5 crore would be invested in the plan to revive the waterbodies which have been lying neglected for years. Funds for both the projects are being provided under the additional central assistance scheme by the Union government and the money has already been credited to the BMC’s account.

“We have received funds from the Centre and our engineering wing will soon finalise the details of the projects. The work will start within two months after the finalisation of tenders,” said a senior BMC official.

“Apart from roads affected by the sewerage pipeline work, other roads will also be included in the renovation work for which the local councillors, ward officers and citizens’ bodies have requested us in the past. The plan also includes renovation of the dying waterbodies of the area,” said BMC commissioner Vishal Kumar Dev.

The renovation work would be taken up by two engineering divisions of BMC. “While division I will renovate 16 roads and seven waterbodies, division II will work on 15 roads and 11 waterbodies,” he added.

A senior engineer of the civic body said that division I would take up the improvement of the road from NH-5 to Old Bhoi Sahi open well, Amrit Market Complex to NH-5 via Indira Maidan, NH-5 NB Tower to Nayapalli pump house, Mumtaz Ali High School to Unit-VIII DAV School Square and Damayanti Apartment Square to Gadasahi Square (ward No. 26), Prachi Vihar to Bhagabat Sandhan and Palasuni village road in ward No. 5, internal roads in Rasulgarh village (ward No. 6), two roads in Shahid Nagar (ward No. 22), road connecting V.S.S. Nagar Main Road to Satsang Vihar, internal roads in Baramunda Housing Board Colony and BDA duplex houses (ward No. 18) and the road from Regional Science Park to the DCP’s office in Unit-IX.

“While a special repair package for road connecting Sparsh Hospital Square to the road parallel to NH in Shahid Nagar will be undertaken, the construction of roads with drains in Bhaktamadhunagar near Gandamunda (ward No. 30) will be included by the division. All the road work will need Rs 5.04 crore,” he said.

“Division I will undertake renovation of waterbodies like Santha Tulasi Sarobar (ward No. 4), Badei Tank (ward No. 5), Chua Pokhari in Ghatikia (ward No. 28), Bada pokhari in Jagamara (ward No. 29), Talabani pond in Pokhariput (ward No. 30), Nilakantheswar pond at Patia (ward No. 2) and the wall of the community pond in ward No. 25 with an investment of Rs 2.49 crore,” he said.

Division II would undertake the renovation plan for two roads in ward No. 55 in the Old Town area, a road from Chandan Lodge to Sriya Cinema via Chandrama Apartment Complex and Nilachal Hospital in Kharvel Nagar (ward No. 43), a major drain at Ananta Nagar in Kapila Prasad (ward No. 58), Goutam Nagar, Surya Nagar, the main road near Chintamanishwar area towards Laxmisagar pond, other roads in ward No. 49 and Rajarani Colony, two roads in ward No. 34 and the construction of a road from Dumduma Autorickshaw Square to Jadupur, SBI, in Dumduma to Ainginia in ward No. 60 with an investment plan of Rs 5 crore.

The division would also spend Rs 2.5 crore on the Brahmeswar pond and Chilli pokhari (ward No. 54), Godi pokhari and Uttareswar pond (ward No. 53), Hat Chhak pond and Marda Chowk pond (ward No. 57), Mali Hata pond (ward No. 42), Padma pokhari at Jharpada (ward No. 40), Tubi gadia (ward No. 41) and Dargha pokhari (ward No. 59).

“Waterbodies have a major role to play in the beautification of the city. The renovation plan will also help in preserving the underground water table because the groundwater depletes very fast in the summer months. It will also help the city retain its ecological balance and keep it cool,” the municipal commissioner added.