Kendrapara: The Kendrapara municipality is all set to restore the Mahaboi Tank which would cool the local environment and provide recreational space, said Debabrata Bal, the executive officer of the municipality, Thursday.
The Mahaboi Tank, located at the heart of the town near the district headquarters hospital, is one of the most important water bodies here. The water body is known as the lifeline for many residents as water doesn’t dry up through the year.
According to reports, Rs 2.74 crore was allotted by the Odisha Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (OUIDF) for the renovation of the community pond. This apart, the housing and urban development department also sanctioned funds for restoration of the tank.
The OUIDF will be spending 90 per cent of the money required and the municipality would spend the rest.
The funds would be utilised for the de-siltation of the tank, in construction of an RCC wall and for the strengthening of its bunds.
The municipality aims to set up a foot overbridge, install street lights for better illumination and put up cement benches to offer better facilities to the residents of the town so that they can enjoy the space with their families and friends, said EO Bal.
It is also going to develop an artificial island inside the water body and plant trees on all four sides of the tank, Bal added.
Meanwhile, the file of the project has been sent to the superintending engineer of the public health department, Cuttack for required approval. The project would start after the rainy season. The deadline for completion of the project has been fixed at 12 months, said Sanjay Kumar Mishra, the administrator of Kendrapara municipality.
In the second phase, plans are afoot to provide boating facilities for public and tourists at the tank.
The people of the town have welcomed the move of the municipality for initiating such a project.
PNN
