Workers clean the Barabati Fort’s moat to make it suitable for boating. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Jan. 7: The Cuttack Municipal Corporation has undertaken a Rs 10-crore project for the beautification of the immediate surroundings of Barabati Fort.

The integrated development project envisages turning the surroundings of the 900-year-old fort into a major tourist attraction. Barabati Fort is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has undertaken the project with central assistance under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT).

“In the first phase, the moat surrounding the fort will be renovated: weeds are being uprooted, excavation and removal of silt has been undertaken. The work is targeted to be completed by March end,” CMC commissioner R.N. Nanda told The Telegraph today.

The ASI, which is developing a well laid-out garden on the fort precincts, is providing technical support to the civic body for removing silt and renovating the moat encircling the outer perimeter of the fort.

The aim is to enable boating in the moat. Official sources said CMC had passed on nearly Rs 2.5 crore to the ASI from the Rs 7 crore received from the Centre under the central scheme.

While the ASI has been renovating and restoring the stone wall of the moat, it has allowed the CMC to undertake work for clearing water hyacinths that had grown in abundance in the water. The civic body has deployed three excavators, six 15 HP pumps and more than 80 workers through contractors.

“It’s good to see the moat without weeds after so many years,” said Saumendra Mishra, a resident of the nearby Biju Patnaik Chak.

The integrated development plan includes cleaning the moat around the fort and introducing boating facilities vis-à-vis converting adjoining lands lying vacant on all sides of the fort precinct into mini parks with water fountains and a musical fountain on the southern side.

Official sources said fencing and landscaping also forms part of the project that aims to create an amusement zone both for children and adults with an interpretation centre for tourists.

Kiosks will also be set up to provide self-employment opportunities.

The CMC commissioner said the project aims to realise the “cherished dream of people of the city who wanted to turn it into a major attraction for tourists”.

An estimated Rs 10 crore is expected to be incurred for implementation of the integrated development plan to turn the fort into an exclusive tourism spot.

The rest of the funds are expected to follow submission of the utilisation report of Rs 7 crore by March 2011, the CMC official said.

Cuttack was capital of Orissa almost continuously for nine centuries and the seat of sovereigns who ruled Orissa from the Barabati Fort.

The Ganga Dynasty (1112-1435), Suryavamsi Gajapatis (1436-1540), Bhois (1542 -1560) and Mukundadev, the last great Hindu ruler of Orissa (1560-68) all ruled from here. Cuttack remained the capital of the Turko-Afghan (1568-90), Mughals (1591-1707), Nazims of Bengal (1707-51), Marathas (1752-1803) and the British in Orissa from 1803. It continued as the capital in Independent India till Bhubaneswar became the new capital in 1958.