Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday dedicated four key dream projects of the Chhattisgarh Government to the people in the new capital city.
The projects on Nandan Van Jungle Safari, Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), Ekatma Path and making of the statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya had taken months of precision planning and work execution, said officials.
Notably, Pandit Deendaya Upadhyaya’s 15 feet tall statue weighs about 14 tonnes. The statue is made of marble.
The Prime Minister during his visit also launched ‘Sour Sujla Yojna’ for the welfare of crores of farmers all over the country.
Notably, Solar energy will be utilised for irrigation purposes in the agricultural fields. Pump sets will be provided to the farmers on a huge subsidy, officials informed.
later on, the Prime Minister also planted a sapling at the Jungle Safari. The Jungle Safari had been developed on 320 hectares of land and construction had started in October 2012.
The Khandwa Water Reservoir is spread on 131 acres of land right in the middle of the Jungle Safari. Nesting Island will be developed in the middle of the reservoir. This is like ‘lung Space’ (Oxygen) for Naya Raipur.
About `200 crore had been invested in the Jungle Safari. Tiger Safari is built on 50 acres of land and Bear Safari on another 50 acres area. Apart from this zoo is constructed on 125 acres and lion Safari on another 50 acres. ‘Butterfly Zone’ is developed for colourful butterflies. Water sources for animals had been set apart on 52-acre land.
The Jungle Safari has an earmarked ‘No-Visitors Area’ with Veterinary Hospital, Rescue Center, Conservation & Breeding Center besides other core wildlife management facilities, officials informed.
It comprises of four separate Safaris including Herbivore Safari, Bear Safari, Tiger and lion Safari.
Around 166 personnel including officials, doctors, zoo-keeper, guard and other staff are deployed for taking care of animals in the Safari.
The Chief Minister presented this memento to Prime Minister after inauguration of Jungle Safari the statue of Chendru and his tiger friend Tembu which had been placed near the main entrance of Jungle Safari.
It is noteworthy that Chendu Ram Mandawi was a real life hero. There is a village called Gad Bengal in Beehad forest of Bastar’s Narayanpur district, where most of the dwellers belong to Muria tribe. One of them was Chendru Ram Mandawi, who is now world famous as ‘tiger boy’, officials informed.
When Chendru was eight-year-old, his father had found a deserted cub in the forest of Abujhmad.
He brought that cub home and gave it to Chendru. Chendru and that cub became friends and they used to play together. He named that cub as Tembu.
Chendru used to feed milk to Tembu. Soon, Chendru and Tembu’s friendship became talk of the town. The popularity soon grew across the across and even abroad.
Renowned filmmaker of Sweden and Oscar Winner Arne Saksdarf came all the way to Bastar, after he learned about Chendru. Inspired by Chendru’s real life story, he made a film named ‘Jungle Saga’ in year 1957. Pt. Ravishankar gave music for this film. This film was acclaimed and appreciated across the world and it bagged a number of awards.
Arne Saksdarf’s wife had even authored a book named ‘Chendru-The Boy and The Tiger’ which had a rare photograph of Chendru with his tiger. The book was a huge success. Arne and his wife Astrid took Chendru to their home in Sweden and showed him different parts of Europe. After returning from Sweden, Chendru led a normal life in Bastar. He passed away on September 18, 2013.
Meanwhile, under BRTS system inaugurated by the Prime Minister, a total of ten buses will operate over a distance of 42 kilometers between Raipur and Naya Raipur. Total project cost is Rs 170 crore aided by the World Bank. Cycle track (53 km) and walking track had been developed.
Thirty AC buses will operate in the first phase. Automatic ticketing and GPS control system will be introduced for the first time.
The ‘Ekatma Path’ has been developed over a distance of 2.25 km between CBD Railway Station and Capital premises with an investment of Rs 30 crore.
The Park had been developed in the median of the road. About 23,000 plants are lining the ‘Ekatma Path’. Grass had been developed on 1.13 lakh square meter area in the park. There are 11 water fountains in the Park.
It is noteworthy that as Prime Minister of the country, Tuesday was his third tour of Chhattisgarh. First, he had visited insurgency-infested Dantewada area of the State on May 9, 2015, where in his presence MoUs worth nearly Rs 24,000 crores for industrial development of Bastar were signed between the State Government and Central Public Sector Undertakings, which included 135-km rail line project from Rowghat to Jagdalpur.
On second time, Modi had visited Naya Raipur and Kurrubhat village (Dongargarh block) of Rajnandgaon district on February 21, 2016.
He had inaugurated Prime Minister Housing Scheme in Naya Raipur for homeless families in the country.
The Prime Minister had also inaugurated RURBAN Mission, at general meeting of Kurrubhat, to provide city-like basic facilities in villages. There, he had declared two development blocks of Rajnandgaon district- Ambagarh Chowki and Chhuria as ‘Open Defecation Free’ (ODF) blocks.
Modi had visited Naya Raipur and Kurrubhat village (Dongargarh block) of Rajnandgaon district on February 21, 2016.
He had inaugurated Prime Minister Housing Scheme in Naya Raipur for homeless families in the country.
Modi had also inaugurated RURBAN Mission, at general meeting of Kurrubhat, to provide city-like basic facilities in villages.
There, he had declared two development blocks of Rajnandgaon district- Ambagarh Chowki and Chhuria as Open Defecation Free blocks.
He had also felicitated 104-year-old Kunwar Bai of Dhamtari district for her commendable contribution in Clean India Mission.