Patna: Patna authorities have intensified preparations for the monsoon, unveiling a coordinated strategy to tackle waterlogging, strengthen drainage infrastructure and improve public safety across the city.
The measures were discussed at a joint review meeting chaired by Animesh Parashar, Secretary of the Urban Development and Housing Department and Managing Director of the Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCO), and Yashpal Meena, Municipal Commissioner of the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Senior officials, engineers and representatives of both agencies attended the meeting at Maurya Mandapam in the Maurya Lok complex.
Focus On Safety And Drainage
Reviewing pre-monsoon preparations, the officials stressed the need for close coordination among all departments involved in drainage and civic maintenance.
They directed authorities to immediately install barricades or red warning flags around open pits, drains and manholes across the city to reduce the risk of accidents during heavy rainfall.
Parashar said recent joint field operations by BUIDCO and the Municipal Corporation had produced encouraging results and called for continued coordination to minimise inconvenience to residents during the monsoon season.
He instructed officials to inspect all sump houses, verify the operational status of pumps and machinery, examine inlets and outlets, and complete any required maintenance on a priority basis.
Sanitation Staff To Remain On Duty
Municipal Commissioner Yashpal Meena directed sanitation inspectors to remain stationed in their respective wards until further orders.
He also ordered that each inspector be provided with a dedicated vehicle for round-the-clock field movement so they can respond immediately when rainfall begins, supervise drainage operations and address complaints without delay.
Executive officers were instructed to ensure uninterrupted door-to-door waste collection during both daily shifts and maintain continuous cleaning of roads, drains and public spaces to prevent blockages in the drainage network.
Officials also reiterated that no road excavation would be permitted without prior approval from the competent authority. Any essential excavation, they said, must follow the prescribed approval process.
Round-The-Clock Monitoring
To strengthen emergency response during the monsoon, the Municipal Corporation will enhance the functioning of its control room.
Sanitation officers and city managers have been assigned roster duties to enable continuous monitoring of drainage operations.
The control room will also oversee the deployment of Quick Response Teams (QRTs) working in three shifts, along with sanitation workers, engineers and other field personnel, to ensure prompt action in response to complaints or emergencies.
Legal Action Against Obstruction
Officials instructed all departments to perform their duties impartially and without external influence.
They said any individual found obstructing official work or disrupting drainage and sanitation operations would face legal action, including the registration of a First Information Report (FIR), where necessary.
Measures Against Monsoon Diseases
The meeting also focused on preventing seasonal outbreaks of diseases such as dengue and malaria.
Officials directed that fogging and the spraying of anti-larval chemicals be carried out regularly across the city in two shifts to reduce mosquito breeding during the rainy season.
At the conclusion of the meeting, all departments were instructed to maintain continuous field monitoring, improve inter-agency coordination and respond swiftly to emerging civic issues to ensure effective management of waterlogging and other monsoon-related challenges in the state capital.
