No walk in the park for BSP supremo until now. Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal finally gets the rub of the green. A park commissioned by former Chief Minister Mayawati, it will finally be open to public on October 2 since its inauguration in October 2011.
In May this year, Noida Authority received clearance from the Government but the opening was delayed due to work at the site. The park has installations of Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Mayawati and Kanshi Ram and was built at a cost of Rs 685 crore on 82.5 acres of land near Delhi-Noida border. This is no garden-variety park. Money spent on its construction sparked controversy as Opposition parties blamed misuse of public wealth for taking political advantage ahead of UP Assembly elections in 2012.
The inauguration was delayed due to lack of facilities like toilets, drinking water, car parks and other infrastructure for visitors. “We are inspecting the lights and fountains at the Sthal and have spent Rs 30 lakh towards its upkeep,” said a senior official. Meanwhile, local leaders of BSP accused ruling party for the holdup saying the Government is ruining the park for political vendetta. “The Government wants to interrupt all developmental projects, including the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal at Sector 95 built by BSP supremo during her tenure,” said a leader.
The dream project of Mayawati has always been grist for the gossip mill. In November 2011, the Chief Election Commissioner of India had ordered the statues to be covered up so that the BSP would not take undue political mileage in the UP Assembly elections. After a change in guard at lucknow, Samajwadi Party supporters vandalized a few statues of Mayawati. The officials also decided to open the park ahead of Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) summit in May this year and the Authority had started its redevelopment but no announcement was made then.