Bhubaneswar: After years of neglect, a renovated BDA City Park, popular as Nicco Park, was opened to public on the Children’s Day.
The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) spent Rs 1.5 crore to restore the rides, garden and boat facility in the only theme park in Odisha capital after it sustained major damages in cyclone FANI this May.
“A majority of the rides have been restored. Another Rs 1 crore will be spent on fixing the playing equipment, canteen, water supply and other amusement facilities,” BDA Secretary Rabindranath Mishra to the media.
THE ENTRY FEE
On Thursday, when the entry was free for all, children got to ride the caterpillar, merry-go-round and mini toy train. However, the entry fare has been fixed at Rs 100 and it includes four rides. The paid rides will be charged at Rs 20 each, sources said, adding that children below three years will not be charged any fee.
THE ATTRACTIONS
Nine Rides: Pirate Ship, Caterpillar, Vortex, Striking Car, Bull Ride, Moon Racker, Water Coaster, Toy Train & Merry-Go-Round
Water chute, one of the major attractions at the park, has not been made operational. Swings and other play equipment too need to be restored.
MORE IN OFFING
However it does not end here. The BDA is planning to develop it into a modern and iconic amusement park and invest Rs 50 crore for this purpose. The modalities will be worked out soon, said Mishra.
The BDA secretary said that encroachments around the park will be removed. There are also plans to revive the natural drain, he added.
THE HISTORY
The amusement park was set up by BDA and Nicco Group along the city’s largest natural drain at Sachivalay Marg in December 1998. Spreading across 24 acres, it was a major crowd puller during its initial days. However, the park lost its sheen over a period of time due to lack of maintenance.
In 2007, the Nicco Group pulled out of the venture. Following which, Sun Tech City Private Limited was chosen as a partner and the park renamed as BDA City Centre. It had boating facility, a haunted house, musical fountain, a cinematrix hall and 12 different rides. But lack of maintenance rendered them useless.
The park, which was lying in a dilapidated state, was finally shut down after FANI this year. The BDA then decided to run it on its own and develop it into an iconic park.
