Banabitan & Eden Garden Park set for renovation

Kolkata: The state Forest department is undertaking a major overhaul of Banabitan, popularly known as Central Park, in Salt Lake and Eden Garden Park in the city.

The Parks and Gardens circle of the department will execute the renovation work.

"We have plans to set up a Nature Interpretation Centre inside Banabitan. The DPR for the project has already been prepared and funds have already been sanctioned. We hope to start work in a month's time," said Ajay Kumar Das, Conservator of Forests (Parks and Gardens).

The Central Park in Salt Lake, which is spread across an area of 75 acres, is the second largest open space in the city of Kolkata after the Maidan. It is a favourite hangout for youngsters and a major attraction for the tree lovers with a plethora of flora inside it.

The park is built around an expansive water body. There is a bridge which connects one side of the lake to an island which has a pagoda. The lake serves as a haven for water birds like lesser whistling duck, common moorhen, egrets, cormorants and other species. "We have plans to clean up the water body and make it more attractive so that more birds particularly the migratory ones turn up during winter," an official said. The department will also set up signboards with the description of the flora inside the park. Banabitan also has a children's park, a butterfly garden, a medicinal garden and a flower nursery from where flowers are sold.

"Our main objective is to ensure that the park has some educational elements and at the same carry the message of nature conservation," the official added.

The Eden Gardens Park with a wide variety of flowers and plants will also be renovated. The orchid house located inside the park will is being developed. The Burmese Pagoda standing in the northern part of the garden, in an island, almost surrounded by a water body, which is a major attraction of the park, will also be illuminated.

It may be mentioned that the Parks and Gadens circle under the state Forest department is responsible for maintenance of 56 parks across the state of which the Banabitan and Eden Gardens are within in the city.