In view of the lack of facilities to evacuate storm water due to encroachment in urban areas, the State Government has decided to create a separate Urban Drainage Division under the Odisha Water Supply & Sewerage Board (QWSSB) to execute all storm water drainage projects in the urban centres through one agency. The Government has also decided to develop a city-wide Integrated Storm Water Project in Bhubaneswar having features similar to the ones under the JICA-assisted Odisha Integrated Sanitation Improvement Project (OISIP) being implemented in the Twin City of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. “This will minimise the problems linked to water logging and urban flooding as the efforts made under the JNNURM could not succeed fully due to lack of available resources and land alienation problems,” said an official of the Water Resources Department. The implementation of the projects and creation of the new division were decided at a meeting chaired by the Development Commissioner recently.The Water Resources Department would depute engineers to manage the proposed drainage division. However, maintenance of the storm water drainage system would be undertaken by the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) concerned. In order to implement the project for hassle-free passage of floodwater in the capital city, the Government has decided to demarcate Government land and clear them of all encroachments within the next two months. “Stringent action/ demolition should be undertaken for buildings, which have come on ROW of such drains without building plan approval,” said the official. The Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board has been asked to prepare a new DPR for Integrated Storm Water Drainage System, Bhubaneswar on the lines of the OISIP.