Cuttack: The municipal corporation will spend Rs 29.5 lakh to carry out repair works and spruce up roads before Dussehra.

The repair of roads before Dusshera is an annual practice of the civic body as it aims to spruce those up for smooth conduct of Durga Puja in the city in view of the increase in traffic volume. Improving the roads become vital in view of the immersion procession of at least 150 idols.

Municipal commissioner Sarat Nayak told The Telegraph on Monday that Rs 5 lakh would be provided to each of the 59 wards to repair potholes for Dussehra, less than a month away.

"Estimates will be prepared and the process of issuing work orders will start shortly. The work will be completed before October 10," Nayak said.

The district administration had set October 10 as the pre-Dussehra deadline for the Cuttack Municipal Corporation, irrigation and works departments to complete repair of all roads under their respective control at the preparatory meet for Durga Puja on Saturday.

The civic body controls around 450km of roads. "However, the roads dug up for laying sewer lines under the Japan International Cooperation Agency project will be restored by the agency executing the project," Nayak said.

Worsening condition of roads dominated the preparatory meeting with most Puja committees demanding their repair.

As the roads, including some of the busiest thoroughfares, are pothole-ridden, representatives of almost all Puja committees expressed concern over their condition during the preparatory meet of the Cuttack Mahanagar Puja Committee, the city's apex Puja committee. The Cuttack collector is the committee's ex-officio president.

Officials of the irrigation and works departments said the repair and renovation work would be completed before the deadline in stretches under their control.

"Priority would be given to the stretch of main thoroughfare that forms the immersion route of idols that come up here," collector Arvind Agarwal said.

The major immersion routes cover 10km of main road from Station Bazar to Devigada Ghat of the Kathajodi river en route College Square, Ranihat, Manglabag, Nuapatana, Matamatha, Mastan Road, Manisahu Chakh, Buxi Bazar, Baropathar, Tinkonia Bagicha, Dargha Bazar, Jail Road and Choudhury Bazar.

Besides, roads connecting the different Puja pandals across the city to this main thoroughfare constitute the secondary immersion route.