A zodiac sign installed on the stretch between Acharya Vihar and Sainik School as part of the beautification drive in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, March 1: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has directed all government agencies, including the authorities of Pathani Samanta Planetarium and Institute of Physics, to look after the beautification work on the stretch between Acharya Vihar Square and Sainik School Square.

“Last month, I had a meeting with the agencies concerned to look after the beautification drive. Summer is approaching and it will take a toll on the saplings planted on the stretch. So the government agencies concerned will take care of them,” said municipal commissioner Sanjib Kumar Mishra.

The corporation had undertaken a beautification drive on the stretch in collaboration with Rungta Mines.

The beautification drive was done at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore. It includes installation of 12 zodiac signs and a statue of Sir Isaac Newton in front of the Institute of Physics.

The 1.6km stretch includes major buildings and institutions, such as the Pathani Samanta Planetarium, the Regional Museum of Natural History, Apollo Hospital, Institute of Physics, National Institute of Science Education and Research and Sainik School, Bhubaneswar.

There is also the statue of a mermaid in front of Regional Museum of Natural History.

The stretch also has signage on road safety, locations of important institutions and sitting arrangements for the public.

Maintenance of beautified stretches seems to be a major problem for the civic authorities.

“The civic body had done a number of beautification drives in the past but lack of maintenance has been a major cause for concern. The corporation must ensure that the beautified areas are properly looked after,” said urban management practitioner Piyush Ranjan Rout.