The Orissa High Court has directed experts from IIT-Bhubaneswar to attend the next hearing on January 8 to discuss the progress of the Rs 496 crore Cuttack branch storm water channel (BSWC) drainage project.

The project, aimed at reducing urban flooding in Cuttack, involves the construction of five major BSWCs under the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC). The special bench, monitoring the project, emphasized the re-vetting of detailed project reports (DPRs) by IIT-Bhubaneswar to ensure technical soundness and timely completion. "WATCO will act in right earnest to justify the confidence placed in its technical expertise," assured Debabrata Mohanty, managing director of Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO), during the hearing on December 18.

MD Mohanty further informed the court that IIT experts would be urged to complete the required surveys by 04 January, 2026, using 19 new soil test reports submitted to IIT-Bhubaneswar. The court also noted that WATCO had already submitted the DPRs for re-vetting.