Sambalpur: In order to ensure smooth flow of sewage during rainy season, the height of the bridges over Dhobijor Nullah carrying the sewage of Sambalpur city in western Odisha will be raised soon, officials said on Sunday.
Ten bridges over Dhobijor Nullaha would be heightened and the structure of piers of the bridges changed, Executive engineer in irrigation department, S K Behera said.
The step has been initiated for the smooth flow of sewage along with the rain water during monsoon, he said. While work on seven bridges will be executed by the irrigation department, the public works department will execute the work of the other three bridges.
The height increase work on bridges at Cheruapara, near swimming pool, Chitragupta temple, near Gaity talkies road, Sakhipara-Pandit LN Lane, Kalibadi and Kumbharpara of the city will be carried out by the irrigation department.
Similarly, the Public Works Department will carry out the work on the bridges at Panchgachhia and near main branch of SBI.
The tender for the work at Cherupara of the city has already been floated with an estimated budget of Rs 93.7 lakh.
Moreover, the estimate to increase the height of other bridges has already been prepared. The estimated budget to increase the height of the four bridges is Rs 4.22 crore. The designs to increase the height of rest five bridges are being prepared, he said.
The Dhobijor Nullah, which is major drain of the city, flows through Beheramunda, Danipali, Cheruapara, Housing Board colony, Modipara, Golebazar, Hirakud colony and finally joins river Mahanadi at Binakhandi of the city.
The drain was bifurcated at the Tamlapara of the city after the flood in the river Mahanadi in 1982 and the newly developed stretch flowed into river Mahanadi at Balibandha of the city also. The rain water and the drain water of the city are released to the Mahanadi through this Dhobijor Nullah.
Low lying areas witness a flood like situation in a little rain. The situation arises as the rain water does not find way to be released. However, if the heights of the bridges are increased, the rain water will find passage to be released and people will find of sigh of relief,? said a local resident, Arabinda Panigrahi.
