# BMC draft plan proposes widening Bhubaneswar drains up to 40m 2026-09-16T23:12:29+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has unveiled a draft comprehensive drainage plan that proposes widening major rainwater channels in the city by up to 40 metres to enhance their capacity and tackle recurring waterlogging. The plan, prepared by IIT-Roorkee following an MoU signed in February 2025, was presented at the civic body meeting on Friday. The draft covers 256 sq km of the BMC area and treats the capital as an integrated urban watershed. It recommends widening some drains from existing widths of 3, 6 or 9 metres to as much as 40 metres, and also proposes groundwater recharge measures, SCADA-based monitoring, flood alarms, and early-warning systems. The assessment factors in population growth and projected hydro-climatic conditions up to 2050. City engineer Prafulla Raito said implementation could require large-scale land acquisition. IIT-Roorkee will suggest feasible alternatives. The BMC has sought Rs 200 crore from the National Disaster Management Authority to strengthen the city's drainage network. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Bhubaneswar's chronic waterlogging each monsoon has made drainage overhaul a long-pending demand. Widening channels to 40 metres means acquiring land in densely built-up areas, a politically sensitive step that has stalled similar projects in other cities. IIT-Roorkee's role as the plan's author gives it technical weight, but land acquisition and funding remain the real hurdles. The Rs 200 crore sought from NDMA, if approved, would only cover part of the cost, the full expense of widening, relocating utilities, and installing SCADA systems will be far higher. Watch whether the BMC tables a land-acquisition cost estimate at its next council meeting. ## Coverage - odishatv.in Tags: Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, IIT Roorkee, National Disaster Management Authority Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/bmc-draft-plan-proposes-widening-bhubaneswar-drains-up-to-40m/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/bmc-draft-plan-proposes-widening-bhubaneswar-drains-up-to-40m/#story-in-brief