Sambalpur:Sept 15 [UDN}: In a major administrative move aimed at making civic services more accessible, streamlined and efficient, the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) has adopted an administrative structure similar to that of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC). Under the new arrangement, the 41 wards of SMC have been divided into five zones, with a Zonal Deputy Commissioner (ZDC) assigned to each zone.
The new system is expected to provide residents with a more convenient mechanism for addressing day-to-day civic problems such as drainage, roads, street lighting, sanitation and water supply. Instead of approaching different officials and departments for routine complaints, citizens will now have designated zonal-level officers responsible for monitoring and coordinating civic services within their respective areas.
Zone-Wise Allocation of Wards and Officers
Zone 1 – Wards 1 to 7: OSD Debendra Kumar Rout
Zone 2 – Wards 8 to 14 and 20: Deputy Commissioner Shubhadipta Mohanty
Zone 3 – Wards 15 to 19 and 21 to 24: Shankar Prasad Sahu
Zone 4 – Wards 25 to 33: Victor Soreng
Zone 5 – Wards 34 to 41: Hariom Bhoi
The designated officers will be responsible for closely monitoring the overall civic situation in their respective zones. Their responsibilities will include reviewing sanitation and cleanliness operations, drainage systems, road conditions, street-lighting arrangements and water-supply services. They will also directly supervise construction-related files and monitor the progress of various development and infrastructure works within their jurisdictions.
The introduction of the ZDC system is being viewed as an attempt to strengthen decentralised civic administration and bring decision-making and grievance redressal mechanisms closer to residents. By assigning clear geographical responsibilities to individual officers, the SMC expects to improve accountability and ensure quicker action on local issues.
However, questions are being raised over the effectiveness of the new arrangement. The SMC had earlier faced difficulties in opening Ward Offices across all wards, and the failure to establish the proposed ward-level system had already drawn public attention. Against this backdrop, residents and civic observers are now watching closely to see whether the newly introduced Zone Office system will actually deliver faster and more effective services on the ground.
The success of the new arrangement will ultimately depend on how efficiently the designated ZDCs respond to public grievances, coordinate with different municipal departments and ensure timely execution of civic and infrastructure works across the five zones.
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