The elite people of Sambalpur have strongly opposed the move to convert Rani Bakhri to a restaurant by the OTDC. “How can a heritage building be converted to a hotel?” many said here, venting their dissatisfaction before the local administration and the State Government.
People from all walks of life met the Sambalpur Collector recently and submitted a memorandum addressing to the Chief Minister through him narrating the importance of the 400-year-old building.
The building was constructed by King Baliar Singh for his daughter Jema Dei. But later, it remained unused and got dilapidated with a shabby look. But the State Department of Culture had renovated it and given to it a totally new look which was spectacular and even more beautiful than the original one. But, what worries people here now is the decision of the Government to hand over it to the Tourism Department to open a restaurant-‘Nimantran’. “This is nothing but a disgrace to a heritage building,” said Bhakta Prasad Nanda, an educationist.
“We welcome the decision of the State Government to open a restaurant in Sambalpur. But it could be opened somewhere else other than the Rani Bakhri,” suggested Prangya Patnaik, a social activist cum academician.
They suggested to utilise the age-old monument for a museum or an art gallery or a library. This will help people to connect with the culture and heritage of the land and revenue could also be generated from people who will come here, opined Pragnya.
But using it as a restaurant will defeat the very purpose of renovation and also bring in a lot of damages to it including spoiling the environment. The people here further demanded to declare the building a ‘protected monument.’