Bhubaneswar, June 2: The development authority is set to infuse some life into two waterfronts in the city.

While the Bhubaneswar Development Authority wants to develop the area along the Kuakhai river from Pandra to Lingipur, the Daya canal from Patia to Palasuni will have two-lane roads on both sides. Fountains and recreational space will also be set up.

Development authority vice-chairman Krishan Kumar told The Telegraph: "The project along the Daya canal will be executed this year. It will provide an alternative road to the Jayadev Vihar-Nandankanan stretch. The road will be decorated with fountains. It will also have seating arrangements and if possible, we will introduce the boating facility in future."

Satya Sundar, a resident of Kalarahanga near Patia, said: "Construction of road along the Daya canal will definitely give people an alternative stretch to reach Rasulgarh. It will also reduce the travel time between Kalarahanga and Rasulgarh by 35 minutes."

The vice-chairman of the development authority said that while the public works department would take up the road construction along the Daya canal, the beautification would be done only after the stretch was ready. The construction would cost around Rs 60 crore.

The Daya canal was constructed to supply water to paddy farmers living on the city outskirts. While the stretch between Patia and Palasuni is called the Daya east canal, that between Palasuni and Garage Square is called the Daya west canal.

The waterfront project on the Kuakhai has been doing the rounds for quite sometime, but the water resources department approved the proposal only recently.

"The water resources department will also pay for the preliminary expenses involving the selection of the consultant and hydrological surveys, as unlike the Sabarmati riverfront project in Gujarat, the coastal Odisha rivers are prone to heavy floods during the rainy season. The project will be executed by the development authority," said the vice-chairman.

Environmentalist Bijay Mishra said: "The development authority should take immediate action to stop unplanned urban development along the Kuakhai to make it an eco-friendly zone."

The development authority had earlier planned a lake zone over an area of 29 acres along the natural storm water channel No. 10 starting from the BDA city centre. But, due to encroachment by slum dwellers, the project still remains a distant dream.

"We have to rehabilitate the squatters before starting project," said a senior official of the housing and urban development department.