Drainage channels near Chintamaniswar temple need renovation in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Jan 13: The delay in renovation of drainage channels has angered local residents in various areas across the city.

The fate of the renovation of drainage channel No. 4 near Jaydev Vihar is hitting a roadblock with the delay in the land acquisition process.

Speaking to The Telegraph, former councillor Subhranshu Patnaik from Jaydev Vihar said: “Despite the readiness of the contractor and engineer, the renovation of the drainage channel in my ward remains in the list of my unfinished work as it could not progress due to land acquisition issues. The work is not progressing for the last two years.’’

While the land acquisition process is not progressing in several localities, not many people are coming forward to listen to government officials to let the renovation take place.

“We have a plot owner along the Nandankanan-Airport Road near Jaydev Vihar who has volunteered to lend a portion of his land for the diversion of drainage channel No 4, but in many cases encroachers are blocking its path. Civic authorities have to take a final call,’’ Patnaik said.

In the first phase of work under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), channel Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were taken up for renovation with a fund of Rs 68 crore.

Later, the state government had asked the water resources department to include all the 10 channels and promised funds for the job.

Though work is yet to be completed for channel Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, some groundwork has started in channel No. 6, but nothing has been done in channel no. 5.

Former councillor of Ashok Nagar Guru Charan Sahoo said: “Despite repeated requests, the water resources department is yet to start work on channel No. 5. In the case of channel No. 6, some excavation was done in Ashok Nagar, but nothing progressed.’’

A senior official of the water resources department, however, said: “we have to get land first as we are only executing the engineering work.’’

Debendra Bhol, a resident of Sabar Sahi, said: “We have displayed enough Gandhigiri, but now we have to adopt former chief minister Biju Patnaik’s principle as the veteran once suggested that inefficient officials should be thrashed if they fail to deliver work on time.’’

However, asking not to be named a corporation official said: “If we include land acquisition, the project cost may go up to Rs 230 crore or even more for all the channels. But with the Rs 68 crore, the work may not progress much.’’