Renovated park to open by month-end, CMC tells high court

Cuttack: Biju Patnaik Park in the city is undergoing major renovation and will reopen to the public by Nov-end, Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) commissioner Anam Charan Patra informed the Orissa high court on Wednesday.
The park, spread over 36 acres in Sector 11 of Bidanasi project area, was originally developed by Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) in 1997. Though it opened to the public in 2010 with a nominal entry fee of Rs 2, it was later closed due to poor maintenance.
The renovation project is being executed by National Project Construction Corporation (NPCC), a central PSU, under CDA’s supervision. While the project’s official completion date is March 15, 2025, authorities have directed NPCC to expedite the work for completion by Nov this year.
High Court Bar Association president Bijay Dash, heading the HC-constituted advocates’ committee, had sought intervention regarding the park’s reopening.
On Oct 5, the division bench of Justices Sangam Kumar Sahoo and V Narasingh had directed the CMC to submit a report on the project’s status and reasons for keeping the park closed. On Oct 30, the CMC commissioner assured that the park would be opened for public use immediately after NPCC hands over the completed project to CDA.
The court, satisfied with the timeline presented, concluded that no further orders were necessary in the matter.
The renovated park is expected to restore a significant recreational space for Cuttack residents, with gardens, lawns, hedges, flower beds and pathways.