BMC to expedite land acquisition for Ekamra Kshetra beautification

Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday decided to expedite the acquisition of the remaining seven acres of land for the development and beautification of Ekamra Kshetra around Lingaraj Temple in Old Town.Odisha Bridge and Construction Company (OBCC) has been given the contract to undertake the development work, which includes the construction of new roads, drains, landscaping, rest sheds and the widening of roads, pavements and parking areas. A little over eight acres of private land have been acquired out of the 15 acres required for the development.“The land acquisition matter was discussed in a special meeting.

The section concerned and the officer dealing with it have been asked to speed up the process,” said BMC commissioner Chanchal Rana.Ekamra Kshetra will be developed around Lingaraj Temple, spanning from Vivelananda Square to Purba Dwara Square on one side and from Badeibanka Square to Taleswar Square on the other. The components of the area’s development were discussed in detail, BMC officials said.BMC sources said that while there will be a tourist convenience centre and vending zone, a dedicated parking lot will be created for the parking of four and two-wheelers.

“There will be four toilet blocks — one near Tarangana Club, another in the south-west of Kedar Gouri, and the third and fourth will be close to the shrine and Lingaraj Haat, respectively. There will be a Lingaraj Plaza, a crafts pavilion, and an alternate road to Ekamra Kshetra from the Badeibanka end,” a BMC officer said.Additionally, the development plan includes a ritual pavilion, an extended plaza for Sampoorna Jaleswar Temple, and another plaza for Ananta Basudev Temple.

“To decongest internal roads, there is a plan for multi-modal parking and an internal access road to dharmashala. A bhajan mandap and information centre will also be established,” an official said.Ekamra Kshetra, spread over four wards (54, 59, 61 and 62), generates about 20 metric tonnes of municipal waste daily, with close to five tonnes from several temples. Ananta Basudeva Temple alone generates about 1 tonne of waste daily. The civic body has a special plan for sanitation of the area.