Cuttack: What was once a drab and neglected bylane here has now been transformed into one of the city’s most vibrant public spaces with the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) converting Chuna Bhati lane into the first ‘smart lane’.As per CMC, the makeover, which began in June and was completed in the first week of Aug, has transformed the lane into a colourful public space where around 40 households line the stretch. As many as eight artists worked on the walls, painting them with vibrant murals featuring flowers, birds, traditional motifs and other colourful designs. The area comes under ward number 38 of CMC.Interestingly, the concept and design of the lane were driven by two local residents — 27-year-old Sampad Paikray, a recently graduated BTech engineer, and 21-year-old Ushaid Sheikh, a commerce graduate.Paikaray, who is currently preparing for a govt exam, first came up with the idea and shared it with Subhasish Pattnaik, the corporator of ward number 38. The duo then worked on the designs before presenting them to the CMC and they also convinced the locals to paint the walls.“We worked for more than a week to design the lane. We selected various designs using AI and submitted them to the CMC. Accordingly, the artists painted the lane,” said Paikaray, a resident of Chuna Bhati Road.The civic makeover has gone beyond beautification. The road, which was earlier in poor condition, has been improved, while 25 LED lights and a streetlight have been installed. The lane has also been cleared of garbage, giving residents a cleaner and more pleasant environment.CMC mayor Subhash Singh said, “The initiative was aimed at creating a model for neighbourhood-level urban transformation. The civic body has spent Rs 25 lakh on developing Chuna Bhati as Cuttack’s first smart lane. What makes this project special is the participation and creativity of local residents.”“We want Chuna Bhati to become a model that can be replicated in other parts of the city and the state too, combining beautification with cleanliness, lighting and better public infrastructure,” added Singh.“Eight artists worked for more than a month to give shape to the designs and transform the lane. The initiative was about creating a cleaner, better-lit and more vibrant living environment for residents and visitors,” said Singh.The transformation has given the narrow lane a distinctive identity, with brightly painted walls, improved roads and new lighting turning what was once a neglected stretch into one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhood spaces.For the residents, the project is more than a facelift — it is an example of how local ideas, community participation and civic support can reshape an urban neighbourhood.
