Cuttack, April 20: A mega integrated sanitation project has forced the temporary closure of the main entrance to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Birthplace Museum from the Dargha Bazaar side. This has put visitors in a lot of inconvenience.
It is now over a week that entry through the Dargha Bazaar side lies closed as work on the sanitation project, which is being implemented with assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), continues.
Sources said the closure had affected the turnout. The museum is now witnessing only 30 to 40 visitors against a daily footfall of 100 to 120.
Usually, the museum witnesses a large turnout in the evening for the light and sound show. The galleries housing information about the national hero was inaugurated in January this year. Now, with the road being closed, visitors have to travel an extra two km to reach the museum through the Sutahat side. Therefore most people are avoiding taking the longer route in this heat.
"Apart from the main entry from Dargha Bazaar side, the road from Ganga Mandir side is also out of bound for the visitors owing to the JICA work," said Jitendra Mandal, a resident of Balu Bazaar.
Residents said the authorities of Cuttack Municipal Corporation and the officials of executing agency responsible for the construction work should install proper signage informing people about the alternative routes to reach the museum.
This will help tourists reach the place properly.
"A lot of visitors are complaining of inconvenience in reaching the museum owing to the closure of the main entry from Dargha Bazaar side," said J.P. Das, museum curator.
"We have already discussed the issue with the officials of L&T, which is taking care of the construction. They have been asked to create a special passage for the visitors from near Big Bazaar, some 50 meters from the main entrance that has now been closed," said Gyana Das, civic commissioner.
Das said adequate information through a signage regarding the alternate route would also be put up and the new route would be created within the next couple of days.
