Officials asked to visit local wards daily

Bhubaneswar : In a move towards strengthening urban governance and development in Odisha, Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra on Tuesday instructed department officials to prioritise field visits over office-bound tasks.

Speaking at a municipal officials’ training programme, Mohapatra emphasised the need for officials to spend three to four hours daily in local wards to ensure effective implementation of policies and address community concerns directly.

The minister underscored the State’s commitment to cleanliness, echoing Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and called for extensive tree planting in urban areas.

He also stressed efficient waste management, particularly focusing on waste generated by hospitals within urban areas.

Traffic management emerged as another crucial focus area, with Mohapatra urging officials to devise strategies that minimise commuting time for residents.

Additionally, he recommended increasing the installation of CCTV cameras in urban zones to enhance public safety and maintain law and order.

Addressing accountability in public works, Mohapatra warned that agencies and contractors engaged in public projects must commit to maintaining their work for at least three years.

Infrastructure development remains high on the agenda, with Mohapatra reaffirming the continuation of the Metro rail project in Bhubaneswar and proposing future connectivity plans linking Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Puri to accommodate urban expansion.

G Mathi Vathanan, Additional Chief Secretary of the Housing & Urban Development Department, echoed Mohapatra’s sentiments, highlighting the department’s readiness to roll out new programmes aimed at enhancing living conditions, ensuring clean drinking water and promoting waste reduction across urban areas.