Real estate activities near the Buddhist peace pagoda on Dhauli Hills. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 10: The state government is planning to acquire nearly 56 acres around the famous Buddhist pagoda at Dhauli to ensure that pollution and mindless urbanisation do not threaten the monument and its immediate environs.

The government’s move comes in the wake of its experience in Sishupalgarh, an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected site facing threat from encroachers. Many parts of the ancient fort, which were excavated in 1947-1948 by the ASI, may remain only in the pages of history as unauthorised constructions and development activities are set to irreparably damage it.

More than 500 houses now hem in the ruins of the fort. These have come up in violation of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) norms.

Now, with real estate developers eying land around the Dhauli Hill, the state government has sanctioned Rs 4.6 crore to the general administration department for payments to people losing their land. The entire cost of the acquisition process has been pegged at Rs 23 crore.

“We do not want a repeat of the Sishupalgarh experience in Dhauli, which is known as the cradle of Buddhism. We cannot allow unplanned growth in the area,” said culture and tourism secretary Ashok Kumar Tripathy.

Chief secretary Bijay Patnaik has asked agencies involved in the work to expedite the land acquisition process around Dhauli as there is a plan to transform the area into a major Buddhist tourist spot. The forest department will develop a green belt around the shrine, while theme parks highlighting Buddhist traditions are also being planned.

Senior officials of the development authority have visited the site around Dhauli to assess the situation. The culture department had earlier written to the development authorities to restrict construction activities around the hill.

Earlier, forest and environment minister Debi Prasad Mishra had said his department was planning an eco-tourism hub near Dhauli in collaboration with the tourism department. He said plantation in the area would include species such as karanj, jamun, phashi, sishoo and hinjal. The plantation would help create groves for artisans to display and sell their wares. “We have to create a green belt from Pandra-end of the Daya river to the peace pagoda and beyond. The avenue plantation from the Dhauli Square to the foothill has been completed,’’ he had said.

The tourism department is also working on another project called Dhauli Peace Park around the ancient complex. The project includes construction of two beautiful pathways, renovation of nearby water bodies, development of a parking area, construction of a restaurant atop the Panthika building and a multimedia centre in public-private partnership.

Local MLA Ashok Panda said: “Dhauli can become a major weekend destination in future if the entire area surrounding the peace pagoda is properly developed. Barely 8km from the city centre, people can have a place to spend time.”

Sources in the tourism department also said work had already started for the creation of a mega-tourism circuit in Bhubaneswar and revival of the old Ekamrakshetra, the historic name of the Old Town. The plan envisages a dedicated tourism corridor linking Bhubaneswar, Dhauli and Puri by creating a bypass from NH-203. The bypass will link Dhauli with Khandagiri via Sundarpada and Pokhariput so that tourists coming from Puri can visit Buddhist and Jain sites without much hassle.