Kadri Park, the main lung space in the city, will get a facelift with a musical fountain, more greenery and improved walking-cum-jogging track within a year.
Three pieces of land put together make Kadri Park spread over a total of 14.75 acres. The main park with seven acres is adjacent to the All India Radio, 1.75 acres (the old deer park) is on the side of Jogi Math and six acres is off the National Highway 66 and in front of telecom quarters.
J.R. Lobo, Mangalore City South MLA, said the government intended to spend about Rs. 5 crore for creating the facilities in the park.
He told presspersons at the park on Tuesday that a musical fountain would be in place at the old deer park on 1.25 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs. 2.30 crore. The remaining land would be used for children’s play area.
The MLA, formerly Commissioner of Mangalore City Corporation, said that the main park would be landscaped and the walking-cum-jogging track would be renovated. He said that the garden in the park would be beautified further. More greenery would be developed at the park. No other facilities would be built on the main park. It was because people should be able to relax amid greenery in the main park.
He said that the Mangalore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and the Department of Horticulture would carry out the work and it would be reviewed every month.
The MLA said that the road connecting Padavu (on the NH 66) and Circuit House and which passes in between the main park and the old deer park would have to be closed down for traffic once the work was over. But the road would be closed only between the AIR and Jogi Math. With this, people living near Jogi Math side would have access to the National Highway.
Mr. Lobo said that the petty shops along this road would be accommodated in modern structures. “Those structures should look rustic,” he told the officials on the spot after inspecting the park.
Looking at the outgrown grass at the park, the MLA expressed his displeasure over its maintenance. He asked the Horticulture Department officials to remove the weed and cut the grass at the earliest.
