Utsodhara: State to redevelop Sepoy Mutiny site at Rs 130 cr

KOLKATA: Bengal government has decided to start the Utsodhara project at Barrackpore Cantonment area where the Barrackpore Mutiny took place during the India's freedom movement.

The project includes redevelopment of the area and arrangement of the special lighting in contonment site so that it can attract tourists as it is one of the famous tourist locations.

Senior officials of the state government said that although the Barrackpore mutiny site is a famous tourist location but as the site has not been redeveloped it has failed to attract tourist in the past few years.

As a result Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed the officials to redevelop the site so that it can attract tourism.

The project was conceptualised two years back but due to the Covid pandemic situation, the project was put on hold.

A senior official of the state government said: "Few days back a meeting was held

with the officials of the state tourism department and it was decided that the total estimated cost of the project would be Rs 130 crore.

Apart from special lighting arrangements, there will be light and sound music which will tell the history of the freedom movement.

It may be mentioned that the Barrackpore mutiny had its roots in British insensitivity towards Indian cultural sentiments, combined with negligence and poor supply arrangements, which caused growing resentment amongst the sepoys of several regiments of the Bengal Native Infantry after a long march from Mathura to Barrackpore.

The lack of transport for personal effects and cultural concerns about being transported by sea caused apprehension and when troops from the 47th Native Infantry appeared on parade, the troops refused to march towards Chittagong, unless their grievances were remedied.