DHAULI HILLS
Double toll confusion
On January 7, the state government had decided that the two toll gates leading up to the monuments would be merged to make it easy for tourists. But that is yet to be done. Tourists now have to pay at the gates manned by both Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation and Dhauli Development Council. A meeting to sort out the issue was held on May 2 in the presence of tourism minister Ashok Panda. At the meeting it was decided that public works department would be requested to remove the Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation toll gate.
Deserted crafts bazaar
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated Dhauli Crafts Bazaar on April 10, 2013, but it attracts very few people because not many shops are operational. Plan was on to build a sleeping Buddha statue in the area to make it attractive. However, this project is yet to start. Also, the overall development of the park in the vicinity is yet to be taken up. The bathing complex near Panthika has been lying closed for the past three days.
Defunct street lights
Most of the costly street lights installed last year on the road leading to the hilltop are lying defunct due to lack of maintenance. The proposed illumination of the peace pagoda to attract tourists in the evening is yet to materialise.
THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE
Picture by Ashwinee Pati
Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri, Udayagiri and Langudi in Jajpur and Cuttack districts are popularly referred to as the Golden Triangle. These, too, need work done and all the sites require adequate publicity.
♦ Ratnagiri: The site awaits a boundary wall. The monuments also need a chemical treatment.
♦ Udayagiri: Conservation needed for this excavated site to attract more people.
♦ Lalitgiri: Like the Ratnagiri museum of the Archaeological Survey of India, a full-fledged museum is being built here. But the approach road to the monument from the nearby Olasuni hill needs to be widened.
♦ Langudi Hills: Conservation of the excavated site is urgently required to attract visitors.
This year, we hope we will be able to do away with one of the toll gates on the way to the Dhauli hills
Sashank Rath, tourist officer, Bhubaneswar
The state government should come forward to celebrate Buddha Purnima on a grand scale near Dhauli so that the place gets more attention
Srikant Mishra, tour operator
