Cuttack, April 6: The civic body has decided to rejuvenate Chandan Pokhari, a massive swimming tank, by transforming the area into a recreation zone. The civic body will spend around Rs 1 crore for it.

The old tank, which sprawls over a total area of around 75,300sqft adjacent to the Town Hall in Choudhury Bazaar, belongs to the civic body. It is popularly known as Chandan Pokhari as it has since ages been used by local people for one week in a year for chandan yatra.

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation had in 1995 developed it into a swimming tank with all required infrastructure for swimming. But it has since remained unused.

The existing infrastructure includes a swimming tank (281ftx203ft), seating gallery, lavatory facilities, recreation hall, surrounding garden with lawn and paved space.

"In the first phase of the Chandan Pokhari rejuvenation plan, we intend to turn the area into an amusement zone by utilising it as a snacks hub and coffee corner," municipal commissioner Gyana Das told The Telegraph.

"We will spend nearly Rs 1 crore on the project which includes developing a recreational park, three-phase line connection, lighting arrangement on the tank premises, fibre glass kiosks and benches and installation of decorative furniture," Das said. Allocation has been made for it in 2017-18 budget of the civic body.

"The revival of the swimming tank will be taken up in the second phase by restoring the existing infrastructure for swimming activities," the municipal commissioner said.

Other infrastructure for swimming activities at Chandan Pokhari included ladies swimming pool (70 ft x 30 ft with average depth of 4 ft) and a learner swimming pool of 82 ft x 25 ft with average depth of 4 ft), a filtered water re-circulation plant having capacity of purifying 50,000 litres of water per hour per day for 20 hours, diving tower (24ft 6 inches x 17 ft 6 inches, seating gallery, lavatory facilities for men and women and changing rooms.

Vice-president of Utkal Yuva Sanskrutik Sangh Sk Kalimulah said: "A snacks hub with coffee corner is fine, but restoration of facilities for swimming activities is a civic need that has been left unattended for years."

"But it remains to be seen when the civic body turns the plan into reality," said Pradip Sahoo, a resident of nearby Telenga Bazaar area.

In 2010, the municipal corporation had tried to lease out the Chandan Pokhari area to the Cuttack District Athletics Association to renovate it and make it functional for swimming practice and competitions along with eatery facilities in the evening at an annual licence fee of Rs 1 lakh.

But the plan did not make headway as the local people opposed handing over the tank area to a private body.