Vivekananda Park set to get a facelift

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will soon take up modification work of the Vivekananda Park in the city to set up facilities for senior citizens and children.

The civic body has recently approved a proposal to take over the Vivekananda Park from KMDA. It was learnt that the park at Southern Avenue in Ward 86 was under the KMDA which was formerly KIT.

However, despite being a park it had no arrangement of infrastructure for child entertainment. Rather, it was used as a training centre for various cricket coaching academies. Locals are learnt to have approached the civic body, requesting that the park be used for children, walkways for senior citizens, greeneries etc. Accordingly, an inspection was held at the site by KMC to prepare a site plan. The land area is approximately 12 acres.

As part of the accepted proposal, KMC will take over the park from KMDA on an “as is where is” basis. The entire park will then be modified, apart from settling the issues in due course with cricket coaching academies existing there.The KMC would also work on removing the encroachments and paving the path for senior citizens and morning walkers. The park will also undergo illumination and wooden benches will be installed for the visitors. Further, the civic body will also plant greeneries.

It was learnt that the locals have also demanded the installation of a statue of Swami Vivekananda and a fountain there. This year, the KMC decided to rename Ladies Park after the distinguished Bengali author, Shailajananda Mukhopadhyay. It was also decided to rename Victoria Square at Uttam Kumar Sarani as Bhaktivedanta Swami Sarovar or Udyan or Square.