Maheswar Nanda, a retired government employee, displays the sluice gate-like structure that stops rainwater from flooding his house. (Above) Another house with a wall in front of the gate. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Dec.12: Maheswar Nanda, a retired government employee, has a sluice gate-like structure in front of the main gate of his house to stop it from getting flooded during rain. But he failed to prevent the collapse of the boundary wall behind his house situated in Niladri Vihar, Sector I. It fell to the waterlogging after the heavy rain last month.

Nanda’s house is not the only one in the area facing such a problem. The entire area is prone to waterlogging because of the absence of drains.

“We urgently need drains in the area to carry the surplus water out when it rains. They could be connected to a natural drain which is nearby,” said Nanda.

During the rainy season, roads in the colony turn into mini swimming pools with people having to wade through knee-deep water. It affects more than 500 people living in the area. “Since the water has no way to flow away, it gets accumulated even after half an hour of rain” the 61-year-old Nanda added.

Jitendra Kumar Patnaik, a state government employee and a neighbour of Nanda, has built a low wall right across his main gate to keep the water out. Though this makes entry into the house extremely difficult, he could think of no other way to deal with the water menace.

“I had a car but I had to sell it because of the waterlogging problem. There is no point having a four-wheeler at home under these circumstances,” said Patnaik.

According to Patnaik, when he bought the plots from private owners, the problem did not exist. “But, as more and more plots came up in the area and everyone started raising concrete walls, waterlogging began taking place on a regular basis. The BMC authorities should do something about this,” he said.

Tapas Kumar Sahu, a local businessman, said the residents had taken up the issue several times with the issue but without any success.

Local councillor Ranjan Kumar Jena said the area was a forest in the past and a natural drainage channel passed through it. “Problems began when the houses began to come up here. Since the entire area is under private occupation there is little that civic authorities can do. Nonetheless, there is a plan afoot to build a drain and connect it to the natural drain for providing the surplus water a safe outlet,” he said.

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation’s engineer-in-charge of Niladrivihar and Sailashrivihar area, said that he was aware of the problem but it could be resolved only with the consent of the local residents.

“There is a plan to revive 10 natural drains in the city. This area too can be included in the plan but local residents have to be consulted,” he said.