Felled tree logs lie scatterd at Ekamrakanan. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 17: Ekamrakanan, one the city’s major attractions and a morning walkers’ paradise, will reopen from Monday.

The botanical garden of Regional Plant Resource Centre has been lying closed for the last two months due to water logging and extensive damage caused by cyclone Phailin.

“Restoration is almost complete. Trees which were uprooted during the cyclone have been removed and the park will reopen on Monday,” said principal scientist (taxonomy and conservation), Pratap Chandra Panda.

While people will be back at the sprawling 487acre park, the garden has lost a large number of plant species to cyclone Phailin.

The cyclone had uprooted around 5,000 plants, including endangered ones. Several wild edible fruit plants, fragrant flower plants and ornamental plants were also destroyed.

The germplasm collection of Asoka (Saraca Asoca) has been severely devastated. So has been the case with experimental plantation of tissue-cultured banana plants.

“ Hundreds of workers have restored the park. We have spent around Rs 5 lakh on it,” said an official of the centre.

The closure of the park had also affected revenue collection of the park. The centre collects Rs 3 lakh every month by selling tickets.

A popular haunt for morning walkers, the park is frequented by several politicians and bureaucrats everyday.

“I am delighted that the park will be open from Monday. The tranquility and serenity of the place gives a unique experience every morning,” said Sourav Das, a resident of Nayapalli.

Apart from the plant species, the protected wetland passing through the garden attracts a large number of migratory birds throughout the year.