Bhubaneswar: To tackle recurring urban flooding, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has begun implementing a comprehensive drainage master plan by taking up a dedicated underground stormwater corridor along the flood-prone Iskcon Square-Vani Vihar stretch, one of the city’s worst waterlogging zones.BMC has invited tenders for the project, estimated to cost around Rs 24 crore. The project has been initiated weeks after the civic body formalised the drainage master plan prepared by IIT Roorkee. Civic authorities said the underground drainage carrier is designed to address chronic flooding along NH-16 and provide relief to residents of Nayapalli, Jaydev Vihar and adjoining localities that routinely experience inundation during heavy rainfall.Project details entail construction of a 3.19-km underground box culvert from Iskcon Square to Vani Vihar outfall, running parallel to NH-16. The corridor would function as a dedicated storm-water drain, carrying excess rainwater away from the highway carriageway.Officials noted that the Iskcon-Jaydev Vihar area acts like a natural basin where rainwater accumulates during intense showers. Existing drainage crossings often become choke points, causing water to back up and flood roads and nearby neighbourhoods. The proposed underground carrier would provide an uninterrupted route for stormwater to reach the outfall near Vani Vihar, officials added.The project has been designed to handle a peak discharge of 11.9 cumecs, significantly improving the area’s drainage capacity. BMC plans to use modular precast construction technology to speed up execution and minimise disruption during construction.“The Iskcon-Vani Vihar stretch marks the first major on-ground intervention under the city’s urban flood mitigation strategy. The city has identified several vulnerable pockets that witness severe waterlogging during intense rain events, and the drainage master plan aims to create a comprehensive network of storm-water channels and outfalls to improve run-off management,” said city mayor Sulochana Das.Residents and commuters have long demanded a permanent solution to flooding on the NH-16 corridor, where waterlogging frequently leads to traffic congestion, vehicle breakdowns and disruption of daily activities during monsoon.“We hope that this underground corridor substantially reduces recurring flooding in Nayapalli and Jaydev Vihar areas and improves the stormwater system in one of Bhubaneswar’s most critical urban pockets,” said Sabar Sahi resident Pratap Moharana.
