Bhubaneswar, Sept. 3: Lack of proper drainage around the airport is putting pressure on its boundary wall.
After the wall of the airport on the Baramunda-end collapsed in July following heavy rainfall, the Airports Authority of India requested the state government to take remedial measures so that the rainwater is diverted to the nearest drainage channel, No. 8.
Airport director Sharad Kumar first raised the issue at the Airport Environment Management Committee on August 19, which was chaired by the chief secretary.
"The rainwater flowing from Baramunda and Soubhagya Nagar is causing the damage and last month a portion of the boundary wall collapsed. The excess water of the drain accumulates in the land used for farming, thus creating a pool of water. This also attracts birds, which causes problems in the movement of the flights," Kumar told the meeting.
Even drains carrying rainwater along the City Women's College on Gandamunda Road were not planned properly to evacuate excess catchment water.
Following heavy rainfall at Baramunda, Soubhagya Nagar, Delta Square, Rajdhani College and Baramunda villages, the drain along the wall overflows creating pressure on it.
Local councillor Binayini Jena said: "When the public works department (PWD) started the construction of road, we requested them to study the drainage condition properly. The present situation is the outcome of their ignorance."
PWD executive engineer (division III) Panchanan Mohanty, however, told The Telegraph : "We have constructed the drains keeping in mind the condition of the road. In this case, the storm water generated following heavy shower is very strong and therefore the help of the municipal corporation or the drainage division of the water resources department is needed to find a solution. It needs a special plan."
A PWD team, headed by chief engineer (roads and bridges), has already conducted a survey of the area near the Baramunda-end of the airport. A report will be submitted to the state government, said Mohanty.
Additional commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Sudhanshu Mohan Samal said: "BMC has no role to play as the drainage division of the water resources department and engineers of works department is supposed to look into the issue."
Resident of Soubhagya Nagar (Phase II) Mrutyunjay Tripathy said: "The agencies should work out on an integrated drainage plan with mutual cooperation. Before commissioning of the road, PWD engineers should have consulted the drainage division of the water resources department for the drainage data."
Open drains are a common sight in Bhubaneswar. These sites of civic negligence have become serious threats to people, especially pedestrians. On August 25, a nine-year-old boy was swept away in an uncovered drain at Nayapalli. His body was recovered after half an hour. The Telegraph takes a look at open drains in busy areas of the city
If drains are covered for the whole stretch like it has been done on Janpath, they will also work as footpaths and
resolve several problems
Tanmay Sahu
Saheed Nagar resident
First, the authorities were not constructing drains and cleaning existing ones. When they finally built them, they did not place covers on them. The authorities lack vision here. They must cover the drains to avoid accidents
Budhiram Soren
Kharavela Nagar resident
We are trying to cover all drains, especially those in crowded areas. We are also telling other agencies to build drain covers to avoid incidents such as the one that happened at Nayapalli
AN Jena
mayor, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation
Text by Sandip Bal, Pictures by Ashwinee Pati
