Sambalpur: Drainage System Fails Despite Crores Spent; Missing Drains Force Rainwater Into Shops

Annual Cleaning Claims Fall Flat

Sambalpur: Every year before the monsoon, the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) claims it cleans the city’s drains and ensures proper rainwater drainage. However, these claims fail repeatedly. Despite spending crores of rupees in recent years to construct and renovate drains, poor planning has resulted in rainwater mixing with wastewater and overflowing onto the roads, creating artificial floods.

Disappearance of Government Drain

In the Lakshmi Talkies Chowk to Tangna drain stretch along Veer Surendra Sai Marg, a government drain has mysteriously disappeared. This drain existed 20 years ago and carried rainwater into the Tangna drain. Now, with the drain missing, rainwater floods the road and enters nearby shops. Reports suggest that encroachers have covered the drain illegally.

Authorities Ignore the Problem

Even though top officials like the District Collector and Municipal Commissioner regularly use this road, they have failed to notice or act on the missing drain. Last year, the Public Works Department (PWD) raised the road height by 4 inches, making the gap between the road and shops 5 to 6 inches lower. Due to the lack of drainage, rainwater now enters the shops directly.

Shopkeepers and Customers at Risk

The flooding causes shopkeepers and customers to slip and fall, leading to injuries. A similar situation exists from GM College Gate to Lakshmi Talkies Chowk. Residents have lodged multiple complaints with the SMC, but nothing has improved.

Huge Spending, No Results

SMC spends around Rs. 4 crore every month on sanitation, yet the city’s condition remains poor. Despite spending public funds, irresponsible officials and contractors have made life miserable for residents. Even a light shower now causes waterlogging in several areas, affecting daily life.

No Pre-Monsoon Drain Cleaning This Year

Usually, before monsoon, all city drains are cleaned under a special sanitation drive. However, this year, there’s no sign of such cleaning. No one knows if the drains have been cleaned properly, if any need repairs, or whether new drains are required in critical areas. There is no monitoring of the situation.

Citizens Demand Action

Though people pay taxes, they continue to suffer due to the negligence of SMC officials. Residents are demanding a high-level investigation into the ongoing development work, strict action against corrupt officials and employees, and blacklisting of contractors involved in misuse or poor-quality work.