Barring the original structure where tribal icon Birsa Munda took his last breath, the ‘unwanted’ structures of the old building of Birsa Munda Central Jail will be replaced with green habitats and beautiful landscapes for which the State cabinet on Tuesday sanctioned Rs 3.52 crore.
The State Government, incidentally, took over seven years to develop the old jail building into a park after the jail shifted to Hotwar near Khelgaon in Ranchi in April 2006. “As per the directions of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, we have planned to develop the old jail building into a green habitat which also includes several other features like children park area and beautiful landscapes,” said Ranchi DFO Rajeev lochan Bakshi.
According to Bakshi, the plan also includes an amphi-theatre where the biography of Bhagwan Birsa Munda will be shown through light and sound show. “A light and sound show will be shown to the visitors of the park where the life of Bhagwan Birsa Munda will be portrayed at a huge amphi-theatre developed inside the old jail premises,” said Bakshi. The idea is to develop the jail building into an interpreting centre, he added.
The original jail structure will be conserved as a heritage to depict the martyrdom of Bhawan Birsa Munda, said Bakshi. Apart from that, several grass lands and water channels will also be developed with a water treatment plant inside it. “Several water channels will be developed inside the jail building along with a water treatment plant where the drainage water coming from different areas of
the city will be treated and stored to be used for irrigation and various other purposes,” said the DFO. In the first phase, the 44 acre old jail premises will be guarded with the boundary wall and the available space will be developed into a heritage site to mark the life of Bhawan Birsa Munda, who took his last breath in this jail during the freedom struggle in the year 1900.