SAMBALPUR:The Gouri Shankar Sahani Park, located along the Ring Road of the city, would soon witness a major facelift. Sambalpur Development Authority (SDA) is mulling to develop the park with recreational facilities at an estimated cost of Rs 68 lakh.
Constructed in 2009, the 1.28-acre park was named after sports enthusiast Gouri Shankar Sahani who played a pivotal role in promotion of sports in the city. Due to continuous neglect and apathy of the authorities concerned, the park died a silent death.
The SDA has already allocated about Rs 68 lakh to Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) for development of the park. SMC will construct the boundary wall, level the ground and construct pathways besides the landscaping works. If everything goes as per plan, civil work is likely to be completed by September. The beautification work of the park would be initiated once the civil work is completed.
Plans have also been made to install swings and playground equipment for the children. SDA will provide separate fund for the beautification and installation of recreational amenities in the park. Moreover, Horticulture Department will be roped in to undertake plantation to provide green cover to the park, said Chairman of SDA Bijay Mohanty.
This apart, construction work on the Freedom Fighter Memorial Museum on the park premises is underway. The Public Works Department (PWD) is executing the work in an area of over 6000 square feet at an estimated cost of about Rs 1.05 crore. Moreover, the Ring Road is being widened and beautified which would come as a boon to the park.
Earlier, residents of the city used to visit the park frequently for recreation. Even the senior citizens were going for morning and evening walk. The park has undergone a lot of changes over the years and it has lost its charm due to neglect by the civic body.