all in a name: Buddha Smriti Park in Patna. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, Jan. 24: Citizens and tourists will soon be able to visit the sprawling Buddha Smriti Park, which was closed for visitors last year because of seepage in its central stupa.

Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCo) — the agency responsible for the upkeep of the shrine in the state capital — has removed the internal shuttering of wooden planks. The officials of the agency confirmed today that the park will be opened soon.

“The old shuttering (wooden planks to support the casting) at the dome of the central stupa has been removed. The engineers concerned have confirmed that there are no major faults in it. Now, the waterproofing and painting work is being done. We expect to reopen the stupa for visitors in first fortnight of February,” said a senior BUIDCo official.

Visitors will also be able to tell the authorities what they think about the new developments at the park.

“We have appointed feedback ventures for branding and promotion of the shrine. We are planning to make value additions to the park, including light and sound shows,” said the official.

The Telegraph in its July 16, 2011, edition had reported about the fissure in the dome of the central stupa. Water had started to seep in through the fissure in the 200-ft-high dome called Patliputra Karuna Stupa.

The principal secretary of the state urban development department had recommended termination of the contract of Parshwanth Developers Limited — the firm which constructed the shrine. The role of Lall and Associates — a Delhi-based architecture company that designed the monument — was also under scanner, as the basic responsibility of supervision of the construction work at Buddha Smriti Park was on the company.

Later, acting on remedial measures suggested by a team of experts from Indian Institute of Technology-Banaras Hindu University, BUIDCo had floated tenders to engage a third party for the completion of the repair work.

Apart from the repair work at the stupa, BUIDCo has also developed a flowerbed along the boundary wall of the park and inscribed its name in big bold letters at the entrance of the shrine. It has also selected three agencies for managing the meditation centre inside the shrine.

“We have selected three agencies for managing the bookings and conducting the meditation sessions at the centre in the shrine. One of the agencies is Vipasana Centres, which specialises in conducting the Buddhist meditation technique,” the official said.