PWD workers construct the drain between Master Canteen Square and PMG Square. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 17: The public works department (PWD) has started building a drain along the Master Canteen — PMG Square stretch to solve the problem of waterlogging on major roads in the city.

Not only is the road the venue for the Republic Day parade in the city, it also connects the state secretariat and Assembly with the railway station and Janpath. All protests and dharnas are organised along the road.

Division I of the PWD has taken up the construction at an estimated cost of Rs 32 lakh. The covered drain along the other side of the road fails to take the load of rainwater as it’s higher than the road. Moreover, there is no well-built water-trap through which rainwater can pass into the drain. This was leading to waterlogging during rains.

Executive engineer Manoranjan Tripathy said: “We will built similar drains along the Ravi Talkies — Sai Temple stretch after the present work is over. However, shifting of utility services such as electric poles, transformers and roadside trees are delaying the project. We can start work on the stretch once the obstacles are overcome. Another major drain is also under construction near Exhibition Ground.”

Since the flooding in September last year, the state government has made it a policy that each executing agency has to plan drains to carry water from the catchment area to the nearest natural drainage channel. However, less than 30 per cent of the city roads have accompanying drains, resulting in maximum road damage because of waterlogging.

Many major and internal roads, built by the PWD and the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, respectively, are, too, left without drains.

“An integrated drainage plan for the tertiary drains will be implemented in letter and spirit and no deviation will be allowed. All line departments such as the PWD, the corporation and the National Highways (Odisha) have been asked to take up the drainage work of the roads concerned. All roads should have a proper drainage system of their own. We have found many irregularities. Many departments have left their works mid-way,” said a senior official of the housing and urban development department.

“The corporation has already prepared a Rs 600cr master plan for the tertiary drains. A Singapore-based consultant has prepared the detailed project report for this,” said corporation commissioner Vishal Kumar Dev.

In August last year, senior officers of the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Police had to take proactive steps and, along with the PWD engineers, plan water-traps to drain out water from the main roads. They helped the PWD staff in laying water-traps near Governor House Square, 120 Infantry Battalion, Commissionerate Police building and Rabindra Mandap.

Following reports on waterlogging in the city in The Telegraph and especially publication of a story on August 30, the PWD, especially Division III, ensured laying of water-traps along Airport-Nandankanan Road between Patia and Bidyut Marg.