Park lies in neglect in Sambalpur. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, May 15: Gouri Sankar Sahani Park along the Ring Road here was developed by the Sambalpur Development Authority in 2009. But it has been lying in neglect since the day of its inauguration.

The foundation stone of the park was laid on in February 2009 and it was inaugurated the same year. However, the park has now turned into a favourite haunt for anti-socials.

Pramod Saraf, a local resident and former councillor of Sambalpur Municipality said: The administration has never bothered to develop a place of recreation for the people of Sambalpur. The Sambalpur Development Authority developed this place for the purpose of recreation. But the objective behind spending such a huge amount could not be fulfilled because of the negligence of the concerned authority.

“Earlier, there were a few playing equipment installed for the kids but now the park is full of shrubs. The park was the only place of recreation for the people of Badbazar and Khetrajpur. As it is located by the Ring Road, it was a convenient place for recreation for commuters tool,” said Saraf.

“Kids preferred to visit this place in the evening earlier. Elderly people also visited this place for morning and evening walks. But now this place is no more suitable for children,” said Srikant Purohit, a local resident.

“The place turns into a haven for drug addicts and anti-socials at night,” another local resident said.

Sambalpur Development Authority chairman Bijaya Kumar Mohanty said: “I visited the park last Sunday. We have proposals for beautification of the site. So far the boundary wall and the rest shade have been completed. There are many things to be developed in this park.”

“The estimated cost of the project was Rs 1.35 crore. And we have a proposal to complete the rest of the work in the next six months,” he added.