Gandhi Mandap

Nov. 17: The public works department has submitted a proposal to Dispur to create an alternative road to reach Gandhi Mandap, located on top of Sarania hill.

The cost of construction of the alternative road is estimated at Rs 12 crore, a PWD official said.

The road will be constructed through Sarania hill, which will connect Gandhi Mandap with Chandmari on GNB Road.

“Instead of Ulubari, the visitors will be able to go to the Mandap from Chandmari. The PWD has submitted the concept paper of the alternative road to the state government for approval and recommended that funds for the project could be availed from DoNER ministry,” the official said.

Sources said there was an urgent need to create the alternative road, as the existing road from Ulubari to Gandhi Mandap was in a dilapidated condition.

The PWD has not able to repair the road because of encroachment.

Some residents staying on Sarania hill have refused to share their plots for the development and repair of the road.

Rs 66 lakh, received under the Central Road Fund last year to repair the existing road, could not be utilised because of the land acquisition problem.

Rain and soil erosion have led the road to its current state of dilapidation.

Robin Bordoloi, the vice-chairman of the Mahatma Gandhi and Martyrs’ Memorial Trust, who took the initiative to create the alternative road, said the proposed road would be constructed with retailing walls to prevent soil erosion and landslides.

“There will be proper lighting along the road. The PWD has submitted a separate proposal of Rs 3 crore to install lights. I have requested the state government to submit the proposal to the DoNER ministry soon,” said Bordoloi, who is also the chief administrator of the GMC.

According to Bordoloi, the flow of tourists to the mandap has gone down because of the bad road.

A state government official said Dispur would submit the proposal to DoNER ministry soon.

Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had inaugurated Gandhi Mandap, a two-storey white monument on Sarania Hill, in 1970. The building serves as a repository of Gandhian art and thought.