গান্ধীবাগে বিনোদন পার্ক : ৫ সেপ্টেম্বর শিলান্যাসে মন্ত্রী পীযুষ
Gandhi Bagh Amusement Park: Pijush Hazarika to lay foundation stone on 5 September!

August 29: The honeymoon of Assam Progressive Developers Limited (APDL) with Silchar Municipal Board (SMB), which gave birth to Goldighi Mall is now all set to start construction work of Gandhi Bagh Amusement Park. As per sources, Pijush Hazarika, Minister of State [Independent] Urban Development, Health & Family welfare [State] Govt of Assam is going to lay the foundation stone of the Amusement Park on 5 September, 2019.

Another source has revealed that a few days ago when a delegation of Silchar Municipal Board led by its Chairman Niharendra Narayan Tagore, met with the Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal, this issue of Amusement Park also came up for discussion. It was also learnt that the state government has given green signal to go ahead with this project. It was then decided that without any further delay, the foundation stone of the said Amusement Park will be laid.

Sources also informed that a target of 13 months has been set to complete the portion covering the Amusement Park, which excludes two big commercial buildings and market place.

In the mid-March of 2019, Niharendra Narayan Tagore, Chairperson of Silchar Municipal Board for the first time informed media that an ‘Amusement Park’ will be made in the Silchar Gandhi Bagh area. It was stated that excluding the area of current Children’s park, Bipin Paul Ground, Jatiya Vyam Vidhalay & Gandhi Bhavan, a water park of international standards will be constructed. The current ‘Sap Nala’ (narrow lake inside Gandhi Park) which has dried up, will also be replenished and beautified under the project. Three small bridges will be constructed above the lake and also the Sahid Bedi (Martyrs Column) therein will be beautified. The expenditure for the same will be carried under CIDF & AMRUT project.

The proposal led to a huge uproar and concerned citizens and the opposition raised a question-Shall green pave way for forest of concrete at Gandhi Bagh? It was Tamal Kanti Banik, Municipal Commissioner and former Chairman of Silchar Municipal Board who first registered objection regarding the construction of this ‘Amusement Park.’ He alleged that the decision to convert Gandhi Bagh into a jungle of concrete was taken without doing any board meeting. However, this claim was refuted by Municipal Chairperson Niharendra Narayan Tagore. He said that the entire decision was taken only after a full-fledged board meeting.

Even a delegation of Cachar District Congress led by the then Silchar MP Sushmita Dev met Laya Madduri, Deputy Commissioner Cachar and submitted a memorandum opposing the decision of construction of an ‘Amusement Park’ at Gandhi Bagh by Silchar Municipal Board. In the memorandum addressed to the Deputy Commissioner, it was alleged that the said project taken in hand under Private Public Partnership (PPP) scheme by Silchar Municipality will definitely cause damage to the rich history that the park (Gandhi Bagh) bears.

Meanwhile, a memorandum opposing the move was also submitted to the Municipal Chairman by the Assam University Ecological Brigade, which comprises of university teachers, students, staff & research scholars.

However, ending all speculations, finally the state government has given a green signal to this project and construction of the Amusement Park will begin immediately after the laying of its foundation stone on 5 September, 2019. The proposed Amusement Park will consist of Open Float Slide, High speed body slide, Cloud theme rain dance, Crazy river, Food court, Indoor sports, Multipurpose hall, Cricket pitch, Wave pool, 7 platform water play system, Pendulum slide, Mushroom umbrella, Boating facility on Sap Nala and some other things. Further, a car parking, Star Hotel and a commercial building has also been proposed near the Amusement park.

On Thursday, a huge banner near the proposed site (opposite Silchar District Library) could be seen, wherein the blue print of the Amusement Park to be developed by Assam Progressive Developers Limited. (APDL) in association with Silchar Municipal Board (SMB) was written. The Park will be constructed in PPP model by APDL and the full project (including commercial buildings & market place) will be completed within 3 years.