Bhubaneswar: Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Thursday directed the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Katak Municipal Corporation (KMC) to adopt a mission-mode approach to sanitation, drainage management and urban flood mitigation, setting an ambitious target of securing the top position in the national Swachhata rankings.
Chairing a review meeting at UNNATI Bhawan, Mahapatra said Bhubaneswar and Kataka should work towards emerging as Rank 1 cities in the forthcoming national cleanliness assessments. Referring to Bhubaneswar’s earlier ninth-place finish in its category, he called for intensified efforts through modern technology, effective monitoring and greater citizen participation.
The minister placed particular emphasis on preventing waterlogging and urban flooding during heavy rainfall. He directed the civic bodies and other concerned agencies to undertake mechanised drain cleaning and systematic desilting at regular intervals.
Officials informed the meeting that several drains have narrowed over time and accumulated silt deposits of around 3-4 feet at some locations. Mahapatra directed the deployment of high-tech machinery for comprehensive drain cleaning and ordered that major drains be desilted at least three times a year to maintain their carrying capacity.
As part of a technology-driven flood management strategy, he also directed officials to install advanced flood sensors at strategic locations and integrate them with the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC). The system, he said, should facilitate real-time monitoring, early identification of possible inundation and timely alerts in vulnerable areas.
Mahapatra reviewed recurring waterlogging and sanitation issues at several locations in Bhubaneswar and directed officials to expedite the drainage project near the ISKCON Temple to provide a permanent solution to persistent waterlogging. Drainage interventions in Behera Sahi were also ordered to be fast-tracked, while integrated road-cum-drain infrastructure was sought at other critical locations.
The minister further called for technology-based and innovative solutions to recurring garbage accumulation and foul odour, including in the Sainik School area. He stressed that sanitation efforts should move beyond routine cleaning and incorporate sustainable measures to create cleaner and healthier urban spaces.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mahapatra said the government was committed to making Bhubaneswar and Katak among the cleanest and best-managed urban centres in the country. The objective, he said, was not merely to improve their rankings but to bring visible and sustainable improvements in sanitation, drainage and urban infrastructure.
On urban flooding, he stressed the need for permanent solutions to recurring waterlogging instead of temporary measures, with emphasis on advance preparedness, regular desilting, mechanised cleaning and real-time monitoring.
Mahapatra directed all concerned agencies to work in close coordination, ensure timely completion of ongoing projects and adopt a proactive approach to sanitation and flood management. He underscored the need to strengthen urban infrastructure with a focus on prevention, preparedness, rapid response and long-term solutions.
The meeting was attended by Special Secretary, Housing and Urban Development-cum-Mission Director, SBM (Urban), Binay Kumar Dash; BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana; KMC Commissioner Kirandeep Kaur Sahota; Director, WATCO, Debabrata Mohanty; EIC, OWSSB, Bhagyadhar Mohanty, besides senior officials of the Housing and Urban Development Department and other concerned agencies.
