JICA says it will complete Cuttack drainage & sewerage projects by Sept'18.

Work on the drainage and sewerage projects of Cuttack city, undertaken by a Japanese governmental agency, going on for the last five years would be completed in September 2018.

This was informed by a high-level team of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to a Standing Committee of the Odisha Assembly recently.

Following a public outcry during the last monsoon, the agency had announced that work on both the projects (drainage and sewerage) would be over by 2017.

But, after the agency’s latest status report, it appears the people of Cuttack city will have to endure these woes for two more rainy seasons.

Due to the digging up of roads and drains under the project, snapping of electric cables and telephone cables are quite common besides inconveniencing pedestrians.

The same House Committee, which had reviewed the progress of the JICA project last year, had expressed deep concern over the delay in the completion of the work.

The project work has also damaged the underground drinking water pipes at many places, thereby, hampering the supply of potable water.

The sewerage division of JICA on Tuesday informed the House Committee that of an estimated Rs. 810.83 cr for the project, the agency till date has spent only Rs. 395.72 cr, implying that over 50 per cent work will now have to be done in next 17 months, House Committee sources said.

However, the drainage division said, that their work would be over by July 2018.

The Standing Committee comprising nine MLAs, including local legislator Pravat Biswal, also reviewed the progress of certain other ongoing projects in the district, including a Railway overbridge and an underpass of the National Highway, passing through the city.

HBL