BHUBANESWAR: An upscale locality of the city - Nandan Vihar - is yet to come under the jurisdiction of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) despite its surroundings enjoying the civic body's benefits. The area is still part of the Kalarahanga gram panchayat.The residents had moved the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and the BMC several times for inclusion of the area under the corporation. The locality has around 3,000 households, including several high-rise complexes. "We have been deprived of basic facilities such as roads, street lights, water supply, drainage and sewerage system. During the monsoon, the area resembles an island," said Suvendu Mohanty , a resident.Another resident said the housing and urban development department had in August last year asked BMC commissioner Krishan Kumar to submit his opinion in favour of the inclusion of Kalarahanga within the BMC's jurisdiction in the form of a resolution, but nothing was done. "We discussed the matter with the additional commissioner, too, but in vain," said secretary of Nandan Vihar Vikash Parishad, Debashis Mohapatra The area, which has more than 25,000 people, gets waterlogged even after light rain as there is no drain for the water to flow into. "The roads are replete with potholes and during an emergency we are not able to bring out our vehicles. While the adjoining areas fall under the BMC, we have been deprived of basic facilities," added Mohapatra."The gram panchayat has limited resources. We are at a loss to understand why out locality is not being given any attention while other villages were recently included in the BMC area," said another resident Prahallad Das The BMC commissioner said, "Shortage of funds is preventing the BMC from including the area within its jurisdiction. Once we get a clearance from the government on fund provision for the area, we will do it."

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