The environment and forests department will develop the southern flank of Veer Kunwar Singh Azadi Park, better known as Hardinge Park, from October.

Though the Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCo) developed the northern flank of this 100-year-old park in 2013-14, its southern part, spread over 4.4 acres, was left untouched because of delay in land transfer. Formalities related to transfer of land from the urban development and housing department were completed recently, claimed sources in the environment and forests department.

Patna divisional forest officer Mihir Kumar Jha said emphasis has been laid on beautification of the southern flank through greenery and lighting effects, so that visitors on inbound trains on the New Delhi-Howrah line get a positive feel of the place. "We will install lights, fountains and other decorative items to give an attractive look to the park," Jha told The Telegraph last week.

The park is located on either side of Hardinge Road and spread over 20.35 acres. At present, construction material for the ongoing R-Block flyover project has been stored on the southern flank of the park. "As the flyover project is also important for the city, we don't want to obstruct it," Jha said. "We have been told by the agency concerned that the park site would be freed of construction material by September-end. We intend to start construction work from October."

Hardinge Park was closed in October 2012 for undertaking redevelopment works according to a Patna High Court directive issued on July 20, 2007 under the hearing of an ongoing lawsuit. The Hardinge Memorial Fund Trust had challenged an order issued by the Patna district magistrate on October 7, 2005 for resumption of 22.82 acres of the land of the park by the district administration. As per a deed of grant signed in September 1915, the trust was owner of the land of the park.

After several schemes to redevelop the park failed because of a lackadaisical attitude of the state government, it was finally opened on December 2 last year. The forests department developed a jogging track and undertook fresh tree planting to breathe life into this British-era park. The Patna High Court on May 11 this year asked the state government to furnish the plan for further development of the park, including its southern flank.