Residents oppose reconstruction of drain near temple in Nayapalli | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is facing opposition from residents over reconstruction of a peripheral drain on the service lane of NH-16 near Iskcon Temple in Nayapalli.Locals opposed the construction, saying it will inundate the low-lying areas where they are staying during heavy rain. NHAI refuted the allegation and argued that the reconstruction of the drain will completely resolve the long-standing waterlogging issue near the temple.“They are reconstructing the drain which will receive all the stormwater coming from Iskcon side. It will flow towards our homes and will surely inundate our houses during heavy rain. We cannot allow the drain construction,” Satyam Behera, a resident of Sabar Sahi, alleged.Another resident, Tanmay Jena, said to resolve the waterlogging issue of one area, the authorities cannot inundate other nearby areas.NHAI officials, however, said that the stormwater flowing from Iskcon and the upper catchment area of Nayapalli will go past the drain and will help avoid the acute waterlogging on the NH-16 near the temple. “It is not going to inundate the low-lying areas,” an NHAI official said.He said they discussed the matter with Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and took up the work. “The engineering division of the BMC inspected the site and allowed the construction. There is misinformation among the public about the drain,” added the official.City mayor Sulochana Das said that there might be some misunderstanding among the people about the drain.“We recently sent our local corporator to speak to the people and make them understand the importance of the drain construction. It is not going to inundate any area but will ensure the smooth flow of stormwater to the nearby natural drainage channel,” she said.The service lane of NH-16 near Iskcon Teple is one of the most problematic areas during heavy rains. Knee-deep water continues to accumulate during rain and makes life difficult for people every year. Last year, the NHAI constructed a connecting drain near the temple that resolved the issue to some extent.
