The state government?s development showpiece has long been associated with abandoned parks overrun by weeds and vacant plots with mounds of garbage.

But the scene is going to change, for the better. The Salt Lake municipality, along with the state urban development and forest departments, has worked out a blueprint for a makeover of the township.

?The urban development department has allotted us 20 cottahs for the beautification project,? civic chairman Dilip Gupta said on Wednesday.

The land, adjacent to the Central Park, will be turned into a park, similar to Netaji Park.

Department officials said a portion of the land in the Central Park zone had been allotted to the forest department for planting trees.

?We are planning to allot funds for the projects in our next budget. As such programmes had not been undertaken earlier, there are no budgetary allocations for them,? civic chief Gupta explained.

The municipality is also focussing on improving the existing parks and playgrounds with help from private agencies. ?We have asked ward committees to submit detailed plans on how to improve the parks and the playgrounds,? said Ramesh Bar, chairman-in-council member.

The parks and the playgrounds have been divided into three categories ? A, B and C ? based on their expanse. Children?s parks with games amenities are placed in the third category.

?The ward committees have been asked to suggest how to collaborate with the private agencies. It is not possible for the municipality to provide funds for maintaining all the parks in the township,? Bar added.

The parks, which were earlier owned and maintained by the urban development department, are now under the civic body?s control.

The Opposition Trinamul Congress, however, wants the urban development authorities to hand over the plots with a proper notification so that they could be used effectively for beautification.

?Under the present arrangement, the municipality cannot construct anything on the land handed over by the department. Its officials must issue a proper notification,? explained Trinamul councillor Sabyasachi Dutta.