Bhubaneswar, May 18: To represent a better, beautiful, greener and smarter Bhubaneswar for the coming Asian Athletics Meet at the renovated Sports Complex of Kalinga Stadium, the city authorities have decided to take up major initiatives to beautify the Temple City.
During the international event between July 6 and 9, more than 800 athletes and officials from 45 nations would come to the city to represent their nations.
The initiatives will include beautification drive along five major city roads, implementation of a fine of Rs 6,500 per tractor load of debris on any agency or individual pilling construction and debris (C&D waste), colouring and repairing of streetlights along the above major roads, wall painting and beautification of road underpass near city flyovers, plantation drive, setting up smart traffic signalling systems along the Kalinga Stadium route, removal of unwanted road side signage defacing the cityscape, ensuring mechanical sweeping and beautification of bus stops along the five roads.
The five major roads include: Janpath (Sishu Bhawan to Vani Vihar), Sachivalaya Marg till Kalinga Hospital Square, Governor’s House to KIIT Square, Kalpana Square to Gopabandhu Square via Governor’s House Square and Cuttack Road (Museum Square to Samantarapur Square).
The five roads will have new wall paintings along their walls to change the ambience of the city for the game. The streetlight posts will be screened for their luminous index (LUX) so that all lights will have equal illuminating effects on the road. There would be not a single fuse light on any pole as instructed by Municipal Commissioner Dr. Krishan Kumar.
The city authorities gathered today in the BMC Conference Hall today included Department of Sports and Youth Services, BDA, Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) and Public Works Department.
Director Sports and Youth Services and BSCL CEO R. Vineel Krishna, BMC Additional Commissioner Manshi Nimbhal and City Engineer Dwaipayan Pattanaik were also present at the meeting among other officials.
While on the landscaping beautification work near Jaydev Vihar, Acharya Vihar and Vani Vihar will be discussed with the authorities of NHAI, Odisha Power Transmission Company Limited will be requested to expedite and complete the work relating to underground cabling across the city.
Stressing cleanliness issues Municipal Commissioner Dr. Krishan Kumar asked the Zonal Deputy Commissioners (ZDCs) and other officials concerned to start removing the unnecessary and jarring direction signage along roads and streets to give a better aesthetics to all roads across the city before the games.
Regarding cleaning of C&D wastes from the road sides and open spaces along the major venues the ZDCs will ensure the slapping of fine of Rs 6,500 per tractor load of C&D waste out of which RS 1,500 would be transportation charge and Rs 5,000 would be Administrative Charges.
“BMC would not tolerate to see even 1 kg of C&D waste along roads and the road owning responsibilities would also be assigned on various agencies concerned, so that the agencies will bring to notice the pilling of garbage to make BMC work more easier and quicker,’’ the Municipal Commissioner said.
Among other beautification measures and visual improvement in roads, new markings, painting of curves, paintings of medians along major roads and improving signage as per signage guidelines will be taken up by PWD.
While the paintings of the road underpass near Rajmahal flyover is already in progress, two other locations, i.e. Jaydev Vihar and Acharya Vihar will be taken up very soon so that before the games they would flaunt new looks.
Similarly renovation of green space and parks and plantation along Airport Square and OMFED Square will be taken up by BDA.
Last but not the least, the bus stops along the five major roads mentioned above will have improved bus stops, which would include removal of excessive advertisements, cleaning up of debris and painting and standardising. A joint team led by senior officials of various city-based authorities will invest their morning walk time to assess the situation and suggest measures accordingly.