Patna's biggest park Rajdhani Vatika, better known as Eco Park, will be back with a new look from June.

Works are on at present to extend the park over an area of 8 acres in addition to its existing expanse of 21 acres. While landscaping and jogging track would be developed by mid-June, work on a 20ft-high fountain, rock-climbing and a traffic park among others are likely to be completed by August. The park is being extended along the drain that goes parallel to Hardinge Road starting behind Haj Bhavan and ends at Sardar Patel Chowk. Funds to the tune of Rs 5.15 crore are being spent.

"The work related to landscaping and development of jogging track in the park's extended area would be completed by mid-June. The bidding process for rock-climbing, water fountain and traffic parks has already started. The selected firm would be awarded the respective contract by June-end. We expect the new facilities to be commissioned in the extended area by August-end," said Patna divisional forest officer Gopal Singh.

The environment and forests department is the custodian of the park.

Gopal added that the length of the jogging track in the extended area would be 480m. A giant-size dinosaur replica is also proposed to be put up in the extended area. Besides, there would be a food court as well for visitors," said Gopal.

The park at present is divided into two parts, the northern part measures 12 acres and the southern part measures nine acres. It also has a 2-km-long jogging track. A platform for those willing to do their yoga sessions on the greens has also been built. The park was inaugurated by chief minister Nitish Kumar on March 23, 2010.

"The park was initially conceptualised to be developed in four phases. In the first two phases, two parks were developed along the secretariat. It is in recognition of the substantial rise in the footfall at Eco Park that the forests department decided to extend the existing park area," said a senior official at the Patna divisional forest office.

The average monthly footfall at Rajdhani Vatika is around 60,000. In acknowledgment of the heavy footfall, a parking bay would also be developed under its ongoing extension. "Vehicles are normally parked on the roadside in front of the park due to absence of any dedicated space for the same. Accordingly, we are also developing a parking bay in the extended area, which would accommodate around 100 cars at once," said Gopal.

Residents, naturally, are upbeat with the expansion of the Eco Park. "Eco Park has become one of the most favoured hangout spots for people of all ages in the city. The buzz can be felt more on holidays and festivals. Hence, giving an extension to it is a welcome step and it would also prove to be a boon for joggers, who do not have many options in the city," said Ajay Kumar, a Patna-based advocate.