Bhubaneswar: Housing and urban development minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Thursday chaired a comprehensive review meeting to overhaul sanitation, drainage, and urban flood mitigation measures in Bhubaneswar (BMC) and Cuttack (CMC) municipal corporations.Setting a high benchmark for the state’s twin major urban centres, the minister directed both municipal corporations to aggressively compete for the top spot in the national Swachhata rankings.Reminding officials of Bhubaneswar’s previous milestone of securing the ninth position in its category, Mahapatra urged both urban local bodies (ULBs) to adopt a mission-mode approach.Addressing critical challenges of waterlogging and flash floods during heavy downpour, the minister ordered line agencies to prioritise mechanised drain cleaning and systematic desilting.Following expert assessments that revealed narrowed drainage channels and heavy silt accumulation reaching up to three to four feet in several areas, Mahapatra directed the immediate deployment of high-tech machinery. To modernise flood preparedness measures, the minister ordered installation of advanced flood sensors at strategic and low-lying locations across the twin cities. These sensors would be integrated with the integrated command and control centre for monitoring.Mahapatra also reviewed waterlogging and sanitation hotspots. He issued strict instructions for fast-track execution of ongoing drainage project near Iskcon Temple, aiming to deliver a permanent solution for waterlogging issues.