Berhampur: The long cherished dream of the government to place Ganjam district in the world tourism map will come true with the state’s first ‘Rock Garden’ being built at Ambapua in Berhampur city.
However, the 9-acre plot identified for the purpose was enclosed with a compound wall about one and a half years back.
At a special sitting of the Berhampur Development Authority (BDA) Friday it was decided to invite tenders for the rock garden by end of August, at an estimated cost of Rs 8.5 crore.
At the special sitting held at the conference hall of the BDA under the supervision of the Vice-Chairman and Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) Commissioner, Chakravarti Singh Rathore, emphasis was laid on taking forward the first ever rock garden project.
It was also decided to open an e-Office on BDA premises, to facilitate approval of new building plans in the city. The BDA will also develop sitting arrangements, vending zones and parking facilities under railway over-bridges for beautification of the Silk City.
It will also plant 2,000 saplings in Berhampur and 1,000 saplings each in Gopalpur and Chhatrapur. Concept parks will be developed and saplings will be planted in open spaces.
Berhampur MP Chandra Sekhar Sahu, MLA Bikram Panda, Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy, Chhatrapur MLA Subash Chandra Behera, BDA Secretary Sambit Rout and senior BDA officials attended the special sitting.
PNN