Children play at the revamped Sishu Vihar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 4: A Unit-II children’s park, which was lying in neglect since the early nineties, has got a fresh lease of life.

The Bhubaneswar Development Authority has revamped the park with new rides for children, a pathway for walkers and joggers, drinking water facilities and lights. The facility is likely to be inaugurated on Children’s Day next month. The development authority has invested Rs 20 lakh in the project.

Sishu Vihar, as it is place is known to local residents, was inaugurated on Children’s Day in 1984. But after five or six years, the park’s condition deteriorated because of the lack of maintenance and care.

“We have focused on a multiple-user approach and developed the park for kids as well as grown-ups and the elderly. We cannot term the work as renovation because it involved building everything from scratch,” said the development authority’s chief horticulturist Ashok N. Dhar.

All the rides are in place and the only thing left to do is to place dustbins. There is a corner with multiple benches that elders can use during morning or evening walks.

The Telegraph had highlighted the pathetic condition of the only children’s park in the city way back on February 22, 2011. After the story was published, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation requested the development authorities to rebuild the park.

“Our parks across the city remain open in two phases — 4.30am to 9.30am and 4pm to 8pm. But this park will remain open throughout the day so that children can use it,” said an official of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority’s horticulture wing.

Local councillor Lala Ashok Kumar Ray said he was happy to see Sishu Vihar back in shape. But, he said toilet facilities should be made available inside the park.

Dustbins ready to be placed at designated locations. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Narasingha Narayan Das, a resident of Unit-II, said: “The park will become a hangout zone for local kids and those studying in nearby schools. But kids from nearby areas should also be aware about the existence of this facility. There should be proper signage so that people get to know that this has come up.”

The watchman-cum-park attendant at the new facility said: “We are getting visitors even before the park has been inaugurated. Around 100 kids and 40 elders are coming here every day.”