The construction of a modern building of the Sambalpur Muncipal Corporation (SMC) and the Sambalpur Development Authority (SDA) will be completed on December 31.
The building will be a replica of the famous Hirakud Dam. Kolkata’s Architect Consultant Company has designed the building plan. Sambalpur-born Priyadarshee Panigrahi, working as general manager of a multinational company in Dubai, had made the initial design concept on the Hirakud Dam. He presented the idea and sketch to the then district Collector Balwant Singh when there was a discussion on construction of a new building.
“Why should not our building look like the famous Hirakud Dam when we have included Burla and Hirakud towns situated near the dam in the Sambalpur Muncipal Corporation? It will attract tourists,” Panigrahi pleaded. Singh approved the idea and suggested the company to visit the dam and prepare the design. The company made the design and handed it over to the district administration for consideration. On specific occasions, water will flow from the top of the building as in the Hirakud Dam with a beautiful lighting system enhancing the environmental beauty.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation-stone of the Rs 20-crore project in 2015 during his visit to Sambalpur. The multi-storey building is coming up on the bank of river Mahanadi near the National Highway on a five-acre land. The building will have both SMC and SDA offices so that people can complete their works in one place.
In the first phase, the building will come up with an expenditure of Rs 14.89 crore. After completion of the building, tender would be floated for boundary walls, drains, gardens and parking slots, SMC Deputy Commissioner Sudhanshu Bhoi said.
The more-than-a-century-old municipal body is now functioning in an old building, which is not adequate to cater to the increasing needs of the officials. Besides, the SDA is temporarily functioning a building originally constructed for the residence of the SDA Secretary.
The Sambalpur Municipality was formed in 1867 and on November 15, 2013. The Municipal Corporation was formed some years ago by including Burla and Hirakud towns and 51 villages of 12 gram panchayats. The corporation has 41 wards covering 80,000 families.