Motihari, June 16: Good news for the residents. The lifeline of the picturesque lake town, Motijheel, has just got a fresh lease of life and will soon be freed from the clutches of encroachers.

Under the National Lake Conservation Plan, a sum of Rs 100 crore will be spent on lending a facelift to the endangered natural lake in the current financial year. For years the residents have been demanding for a facelift and commercial development for the lake to help attract tourists.

Motijheel, which flows through the middle of the city, bisects the township.

According to Nagar Parishad chairperson Prakash Asthana the proposal for the same to the National Lake Conservation Plan was sent some time ago by the state urban development department under the town beautification and advanced plan for urban development.

“To keep the lake water clean, plans are under way to dredge and revive the nearly extinct Ram Rekha river with its hilly origin before connecting it to the lake,” Asthana elaborated. Once this natural lake is developed, the city would come up on the tourist map of the country, which in turn will attract Indian or foreign tourists, he added.

Briefing on the proposed facelift of Motijheel, Asthana told The Telegraph that the final shape to the aforesaid scheme would be given only after members of the National Lake Preservation Scheme Team, slated to visit by end of this month, undertake a physical survey of the site.

“Encroachments on either side of the lake must be done away with before proceeding with the beautification plan of the lake. The plan under the National Lake Preservation Scheme comprises setting up a boating club, a restaurant, a water park, flower beds, proper lighting and wide cemented roads along the shores of the lake,” added the Nagar Parishad chairman.

Expressing concern over the gradually shrinking Motijheel, which was initially spread over an area of about 390 acres, Asthana said the Nagar Parishad would not allow sewage and wastes of the whole town to be dumped into the lake. “Apart from giving a facelift to Motijheel, two more bridges will be constructed on the lake to counter the pressure of the traffic load on the sole bridge from the British Raj era,” Asthana added.