Elliot Park is up for a major change. Following an advice from a section of Kolkata police officials in charge of CM Mamata Banerjee’s security, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) parks department has decided to relay the entire 1.5-km pathway. The pathway in the park suffers from subsidence problems due to a non-existent drainage system in the area. The CM takes her evening stroll in Elliot Park regularly when she is in town.
The KMC parks department has drawn a blueprint for the modernisation of Elliot Park and submitted the same to army top brass at Fort William. According to blueprint, besides relaying of pathway, the civic body has an elaborate plan of plantation in the park. “We have started a major plantation drive inside the park. Besides the conventional flowers like marigold, jasmine, chrysanthemum and lotus, we will plant herbs and shrubs. In fact, we want to make a special garden where rare herbs and shrubs will be displayed,” said a KMC parks department official. The civic body has also planned to plant vegetables in a section of a newly created garden. “In one of her evening strolls, the CM had expressed her desire of taking initiative of planting flowers and vegetables to make the park look greener. That is why we have made an elaborate plan of plantation drive,” a civic official said.
However, the KMC parks department’s major headache has been a heavily damaged pathway that runs through the park. “We laid the pathway barely a couple of years ago. However, in absence of a proper drainage system parts of the pathway have broken making it dangerous for the CM to take a walk on these broken parts. We have noticed that subsidence has been a major problem. Now we want to relay the pathway after making a concrete bed in some badly damaged parts. The idea is to prevent seepage of water,” said a KMC parks department official.
The KMC finance department has sanctioned Rs 1 crore for the modernisation. “We have submitted our plans to the army authorities and waiting for their approval. Once we obtain it, we will start the relay of the pathway,” said a KMC parks department official.
Source: Times of India
