Bhubaneswar: A major eviction drive was successfully done today in Science Park Basti in Acharya Vihar despite heavy protest, where a box drain has been planned to divert excess water from Drainage Channel No. 4, which causes flooding in Acharya Vihar.
Zonal Deputy Commissioner (South-East Zone) Binay Kumar Dash led the eviction drive in which squads of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Bhubaneswar Smart City BSCL participated with cops deployed by Saheed Nagar Police Station. During the eviction drive 15 ACC shed houses and approximately 100 ft boundary wall were demolished.
The State Government on July 18 approved the BMC Drainage Division’s Rs proposal for the construction of the box cell drain connecting Drainage Channel No. 4 under the NH-16 till Regional Science Centre as the channel inside Acharya Vihar had caused flood-like situation during heavy rain.
It can be mentioned here that earlier Cuttack Drainage Division of Water Resources Department has started the work of the box cell drain for a 577 metre stretch with a cost of over Rs 10 crore. However, as the Water Resources Department later formed a drainage division for Bhubaneswar and more recently a drainage division was added to the BMC engineering wing, the BMC Drainage Division will now complete the remaining 377 metre of work of the remaining box cell drain. As the box cell drain’s course passes through the Science Park Basti, eviction was necessary to give way to the drain. The cost estimation of the project is Rs 5.14 crore, given by the BMC Drainage Division.
The eviction for the box cell drain work started in 2015 for which eviction was carried out in Acharya Vihar area in 2014 by the eviction squads of BMC and BDA. The work, however, started little late after shifting of utility services from the path of the box cell drain.
Interestingly, while some residents of Science Park Basti initially resisted the drive, later they cooperated as later they realised that the eviction is going to help the city for better drainage and less water-logging situation ensuring more liveable space around colonies and slums as well.
Comments are closed.