The tourism department will undertake a project, which will include landscaping, lighting on the Golghar campus in the evenings. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, Aug. 3: Golghar has been a tourist attraction for years. Recreational facilities would soon be added to the premises of the historical monument, which at present has nothing much to offer.

The department of tourism is undertaking an ambitious project, which would include landscaping, lighting of the campus and lights to illuminate the Golghar in the evenings.

A 30-seat cafeteria would be an added attraction.

To top it all, an amphitheatre would be built on the Golghar premises at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore for holding cultural programmes in the evenings.

“The new-look Golghar premises is likely to be opened by end-October this year,” the tourism department principal secretary, Rashmi Verma, told The Telegraph before adding that the major chunk of the work has been completed.

Elaborating on the proposed use of the amphitheatre, Verma said: “Classical music soirees would be organised in the evenings on a weekly basis. Tickets for the programmes would be sold, the rates of which would be decided later.”

The cafeteria would give visitors the option of munching on delicious food on the premises of a historical monument.

Children would be able to play in the landscaped gardens. Verma said visitors to the Golghar premises would be charged a nominal entry fee.

The tourism department venture would include the construction of a theme park by the art and culture department on the periphery of the premises.

The park would showcase Pataliputra’s art and culture and trace the story of the historical city right from the Mauryan era to the modern era.

“The theme park would be decorated with three-dimensional art pieces depicting the culture and history of Pataliputra,” said the art and culture department secretary, Vivek Singh, before adding that the park would also display relevant information for an easy understanding of history of Pataliputra for visitors.

The department is in the process of shortlisting persons and agencies specialising in the making three-dimensional objects to be showcased in the park. Special shows might be held inside the Golghar in future. Talks are on in this regard.

Other plans like a light-and-sound show are also being planned.

These projects would be executed once the ongoing work is completed.