Bhubaneswar, Jan. 15: The municipal corporation has taken up a new median beautification project, but it is oblivious that a similar effort started in 2012 has turned into an eyesore because of neglect.

Over three years ago, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation had taken up beautification of the median between Raj Bhavan and AG Square and Acharya Vihar Square and Sainik School in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode.

The private firm had spent Rs 5 crore on the project and the civic body was supposed to maintain them. But the plants have perished over the years because of utter neglect.

But the state of the first endeavour is not stopping the corporation from going ahead with a new one.

If all goes as per plan, a three-kilometre stretch from Raj Bhavan to Jayadev Vihar Square will shortly sport a green look. This project, too, has been taken up in a PPP mode and is scheduled to be over in a year.

But Bhubaneswar residents feel that the corporation should set its priority right.

"The civic body should take care of the initiatives that were taken in the past rather than roping in new agencies for similar projects. They should regularly water the plants, prune and maintain them. It will be of no use if old projects are neglected and new ones are taken up," said Namrata Mohanta, a resident of Satya Nagar.

Residents have alleged that corporation officials are turning a blind eye to the condition of the median on the Janpath stretch, which is the busiest stretch in the city.

Plants on the median between Vani Vihar Square and Master Canteen Square have shrivelled, but no one seems to care.

"We have planted a few trees with the help of volunteers, but because of the lack of manpower we are unable to water them properly," said a senior corporation official.

Despite the posers, the corporation is confident of the new project.

When asked if the corporation will be able to maintain it this time, BMC's environment officer Bikram Keshari Routray said: "According to the new plan, the private partner will be responsible for the upkeep of the median."

In the first phase, the stretch between Raj Bhavan and Jayadev Vihar Square will be renovated. The BMC has roped in Encon Consulting Private Limited as its partner for the project. The firm will install grills and plant shrubs and flower plants on the medians.

The next phase will cover the median between Jayadev Vihar and Patia Square.

"Grills have already been installed. The decorative shrubs will shortly be planted. We will cover the medians across the city in phases," said BMC's environment officer.

Routray told The Telegraph that the civic body would partner various agencies for the median beautification project.

When contacted, BMC mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said: "Plantation on the median from Raj Bhavan to Jayadev Vihar has already been started and will be completed shortly. Similarly, other such medians across the city, including the one along the Janpath, will also be renovated and beautified."