The Belagavi City Corporation has finally decided to take up beautification of the Hutatma Chowk, housing a martyr’s memorial, in the city at the cost of about Rs.7 lakh.
The BCC has already invited tenders for various works planned for beautification of the memorial and the surrounding space, including repair and beautification of a very old open well which was rejuvenated about two years ago and serves an alternative source of drinking for the adjoining localities during the summer.
Official sources at BCC told The Hindu here on Friday that tender works had been invited for providing pavers around a restaurant adjacent to the memorial, open well and beautification of Hutatma Chowk at the intersection of Ramdev Galli and Kirloskar Road and two other roads leading to Maruti Galli and Ganpat Galli.
According to sources the memorial was built some time during 1950. Of late, due to continued negligence both by the BCC and the local community, this memorial is visited only thrice in a year - on the occasion of Independence Day, August Kranti Diwas and Republic Day - where a few freedom fighters and their admirers would offer garlands to pay their homage to the martyrs.
However, the BCC recently responded to repeated requests of the freedom fighters to take up proper beautification works for the memorial.
Official sources said the entire space around the memorial will be renovated by pavers. The black Cuddapah stone slab will be removed and replaced by cobble stones. The space around the open well will also be pavered and 12 pulleys would be installed and few other measures would be taken to depict an ancient view of the well. The entire memorial will be cleaned and damages, if any, would be repaired and re-painted.
The last date for submission of tenders is August 4 and bids would taken up for finalisation on August 8.
