Drainage master plan for Berhampur

In order to deal with rain related problems, Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BMC) has prepared a Rs 660-crore drainage master plan for quick discharge of rain water in the silk city in south Odisha.
Officials said 380 km drains would ensure faster flow of rain water and tackle the problem of water logging during rainy season.
The five-year project, approved by the World Bank recently was presented at the corporation meeting on Monday. A private consultancy firm was entrusted with the task of preparing the plan as part of the ongoing World Bank aided Rs 200-crore Odisha Disaster Recovery Project (ODRP) for the city, they said.

Under the ODRP, Rs 25 crore has been earmarked for drainage system. Some drains would be constructed under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), the officials said.
The corporation would get around Rs 57 crore in the first year and spend them on ensuring proper water supply and drainage system in the town.
"Vulnerable areas will be identified for construction of drains in accordance with the master plan," said Commissioner of the Corporation, Sushant Mishra.

Waterlogging has been a perennial problem in the town in the absence of a proper drainage system. The residents have long been demanding for the same.

"The master plan for the storm water drain system will help expedite construction of roads and development of slum pockets in the town," said a senior engineer of ODRP unit.
Under ODRP, Rs 85-crore would be spent on developing 85 slum pockets, Rs 40-crore on repairing and widening major and interconnecting roads of around 7.6 km and Rs 30 crore on restoration of water supply.
The National Highways Authority of India and works department would follow the master plan while constructing drains, the enginner added.