(Top) The still-unfinished kalyan mandap at Unit-VI and (above) its foundation stone laid on August 31, 2004. Pictures by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 16: At a time when the civic authorities are planning to set up 15 more kalyan mandaps (community halls) in the city to facilitate weddings and other social ceremonies, one such facility at Unit-VI has been lying incomplete for the past seven years. And there are several more that need urgent repairs.

The foundation stone for the incomplete mandap at Unit-VI was laid on August 31, 2004. Once completed, it would have been an important facility, as there are no such similar government facilities in the area. But the structure has not made much progress. Thieves have even stolen iron rods from the foundation.

“I have been raising the issue in every council meeting for a long time now, but no progress has been made in this regard,” said Pranab Kishore Swain, councillor of ward No. 45.

Although government servants mostly inhabit the area, many private houses are also present. Many multi-storeyed structures by the Odisha State Housing Board and its collaborators have come up. The kalyan mandap closest to this area is the one at Unit-VIII. But even that remains booked most of the time.

Also, most of the existing kalyan mandaps need to be renovated. At present, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation runs seven kalyan mandaps, apart from two community centres.

Most of these facilities lack proper infrastructure though the civic authorities charge between Rs 5,500 and Rs 11,000 for hosting a single event.

“The authorities only paint the walls once a year. Apart from that, no other maintenance work is done on a regular basis,” said an employee who works at the Saheed Nagar kalyan mandap.

Lack of proper parking lots around these facilities is also a major area of concern.

“The civic authorities must ensure that enough spacious parking lots is present around these mandaps to ease the traffic,” said Sourav Mohanty, a resident of Shastri Nagar, which has a community centre.

The civic authorities have planned to set up 15 kalyan mandaps in the city.

“We are planning to build 15 mandaps at a cost of Rs 30 crore and at the same time, Rs 5 crore will be spent on renovation of the existing facilities. The proposal is yet to get an approval from the council,” said city engineer T.B.K. Shroff.

Corporation sources said tenders have been already floated for minor repair work of three of the existing kalyan mandaps.

“As far as the Unit-VI kalyan mandap is concerned, the construction work will start as early as possible,” said a senior Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation official.