BHubaneswar: BJD Member of Rajya Sabha, Subhash Chandra Singh and Sasmit Patra, have urged the Center to accelerate the work of the Barabati Fortress Renovation (Gadakhai) in the Cuttack assigned to the Indian Archaeological Survey (ASI).
In memorandum for Tourism Minister Union G Kiswan Reddy, the BJD parliamentarians said that even though there were several correspondence from the Cuttack Municipal Corporation and the Odisha government, as well as the Assy authorities began the renovation work also did not have the same as the state government.
This center has given Sanction RS 16 Crore for the historic fortress renovation in Cuttack.
“When I had raised this problem during the parliamentary budget session, the Minister of Tourism then convinced me at Rajya Sabha that the center had released the funds and ASI will immediately start work.
Three months have passed since then, but the ASI authorities have not started work,” said Singh.
However, he changed optimistic after submitting a representation.
He said the renovation work would be completed in a short time span when the Union Minister had taken a representation positively and guaranteed to direct the ASI authorities to immediately start work.
Barabati Fort dated back to the 13th century and built by the Ganga dynasty rulers in Cuttack.
A trench surrounded the 105 hectare fortress, which was declared a protected monument in 1915.
ASI was a protected area guard.
As part of the renovation program, auditorium, interpretation center, gallery and various public facilities will be made to attract more visitors to the fort.
The state government has also prepared a plan to provide facelift firsi through the creation of various facilities such as bridges over trenches and water-based recreational facilities.