Patna, Jan. 15: Fun and frolic at Sabbalpur diara could soon reach new heights of excitement with an open-air amphitheatre, an amusement park for children and other leisure activities that the state tourism department plans to introduce at the sandbar.

Once the new facilities are constructed, visitors will be able to savour delicacies of Bihar at a special food plaza. They will also have the option to enjoy folk music of the state at the amphitheatre or set their heart racing as they enjoy the adventure in water sports.

Shailendra Kumar, general manager, Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC), told The Telegraph: “We intend to set up a food plaza, an amusement park for children, water and other adventure sports, recreation, hospitality, leisure and other facilities. A separate area would be earmarked where visitors could enjoy traditional Bihar cuisine. The new food court would also promote the traditional Bihar cuisines.”

He added: “The proposed amphitheatre would have a forum to promote folk music of the state.”

The tourism department issued applications to private parties on January 14 to set up these facilities at the sandbar in a public-private mode. Interested parties can apply till December 31 this year. The authorities are hopeful that visitors to the diara would be able to enjoy some of the facilities by end-March.

Sources said though the focus would be on entertainment, environmental concerns would not take a back seat. The parties interested to set up the facilities would be asked to do so in an eco-friendly manner.

Kumar said: “The proposed facilities will be temporary structures. They will have to be removed when the water level rises during monsoon. We hope to start them by March this year.”

BSTDC has been developing the sandbar, surrounded by the Ganga and the Gandak on either side, from 2010. It was inaugurated on December 4 last year by deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

At present, you and I can enjoy a leisurely stroll with the winter sun on our back at the sandbar, 12km from Kali Ghat, on all days of the week between 2 and 5 in the afternoon. Two temporary canopy-covered food courts are available for visitors. Aeromodelling show is the special weekend attraction at the diara.

The sandbar also hosted the two-day kite festival on the occasion of Makar Sankranti this year. Chief minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the festival and tried his hands at flying a huge lobster-shaped kite.

The tourism department also has plans of offering wedding packages under its Sabbalpur Diara Island River Project. Couples eager for exclusivity could leave behind oft-used options and book the riverine island for their special day. Would-be husbands and wives would not have to worry about transportation, as BSTDC’s floatel, MV Ganga Vihar, would be at the guests’ service.