Kolkata: The state Forest department is planning to turn Banabitan, popularly known as Central Park in Salt Lake, into a picnic spot by the end of 2020.
"It is expected that by November 2020, Central Park will be thrown open to the public as a picnic spot. The facelift of the park to attract more visitors has already started," said a senior official of the urban recreation of forestry division.
It may be mentioned that the parks and gardens circle under the state Forest department is responsible for the maintenance of 56 parks across the state, among which Banabitan and Eden Gardens are located in the city.
"Banabitan is located at the heart of Salt Lake and has a natural forest look on one side and facilities of a modern park on the other side. We are working on a plan to beautify it further," the official pointed out. State Forest minister Rajib Banerjee, minister of state for Forest Sujit Bose and senior officials of the urban forestry wing of the department had visited the park in January this year. They also had a preliminary discussion on the park's overhaul.
Bose had proposed for the beautification of the park as it falls under his Assembly constituency. The park is spread across an area of 70 acres and is the second-largest open space in the 'City of Joy' after the Maidan.
It is a favourite hangout place for couples and also a major attraction for the tree-lovers of the city with a plethora of flora inside it.