Keonjhar: The Badaghagra waterfall, a major tourist site in Keonjhar district which is lying neglected since the last few years will soon get a facelift, sources said Monday The Water Resources department will take up upgrading and beautification work at the tourist site at an expense of Rs 2 crore. It will be done to attract more tourists to the waterfall.
As part of this development, the beautification work in the periphery of the Sanamachhakandana dam will also be taken up. The matter came to the fore after the engineer-in-chief (EIC) of Water Resources department wrote a letter to his counterpart at the Baitarani basin project in Keonjhar. He has asked the latter to prepare a detailed report on the beautification and development of Badaghagra waterfall.
Sources said that a museum and a park will be constructed at Sanamachhakandana dam to provide amusement facilities to tourists. Other facilities will also be set up for the visitors. Tourist footfalls have dwindled due to the bad shape of the road leading to the waterfall and the dam. Also there is no electricity and hotels for the visitors.
Sources said that even though a tender has been finalised for repairing the road, work is yet to start. It has sparked resentment among tourists and local residents. However, locals are optimistic as the Tourism department has decided to act quickly for facelift of the site. Sources said that both the Water Resources and Tourism departments will prepare a report for the development of the site on the lines of Kanjhari and Remal dams and implement it soon.