Bhubaneswar: The public works department will shortly create an online inventory of various roads, drains, bridges and culverts of the state capital to ensure their periodic maintenance and repair work.

The inventory will have the information of the existing as well as newly created roads, drains, bridges and culverts that belong to the works department. The condition of the properties will be updated periodically by the executive engineers of various zones of the city.

"The executive engineers have been asked to collect the data and start uploading the same in the inventory. They will conduct a survey, collect the information and complete the task within the next one month. The inventory will help us keep a watch on the condition of the properties," said works department chief engineer (roads) O.P. Patel.

At present, the works department follows a manual procedure in taking up maintenance of roads, drains and bridges twice every year. Besides, they also take on periodic repair work if the condition of the facilities go worse. The officials also work whenever they receive complaints from local residents.

However, the present practice often invites trouble for the people since the condition of various properties remain different based on their individual usage by the people. Some people also complained that the officials sometimes didn't turn up on time to take up repairs.

"We have been approaching the government for the past one year for taking up the repair work of an important road in our locality. Recently, they repaired many roads and drains in various parts of the city. But they are yet to pay heed to our problem," said Raju, a teashop owner, referring to the road between Sriya Square and Hotel Hindustan International at Kharavela Nagar.

However, works department officials hoped that the inventory would make it easier for them check on condition of roads and drains among others. "This inventory will come handy in maintaining the roads and drains. We hopeful to be able to maintain the city's infrastructure in a better manner," said an official of the department.

Ravi Sahu, a resident of Unit-III, also hoped that such a platform would be of help to the officials. "Such an initiative will not only help the officials but also the city residents who will ultimately get benefited," said the schoolteacher.