Ambedkar park on reclaimed Gomti to be ready by July

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) is executing the project and over 1,200 labourers are working round-the-clock to complete the park by July-end. When the work began in March,the cost of the project was estimated to be Rs 150 crore,but Rs 200 crore has already been spent,officials said,and the final expenditure is expected to be around Rs 300 crore.

The LDA Joint Director (Land and Development),SB Mishra,said the project “is a park with a stage,” but refused to discuss other features.

The height of the domed stage will be 32 metres,the officials said. Made of reinforced cement concrete,it will be covered with sandstone from outside and Makrana marble inside. The estimated cost of this is Rs 14 crore. It will be closed from three sides and open towards the river.

Besides the stage,the park will have a Swiss cottage and a toilet block. It will be surrounded by a boundary wall,stretching across the 1,800 metre perimeter and have two giant stone entrance gates. Statues of Dalit icons will be installed on the grounds as well. About 10 per cent of the park will be green space,the rest will be covered with stone.

To reclaim the land — originally a vast,deep ditch — and bring it to the level of the eight-lane bridge,the LDA had to spend Rs 22 crore.

Initially,there was a move to build a five star hotel at the spot and the LDA had changed its land use from “green and open” to “commercial” on August 13,2009. But after a PIL was filed in the Allahabad High Court challenging the move,the government,on December 31,decided to retain the land as “green and open” and soon after,decided to build the park.