Abeautiful park with incomplete constructions and several attractions that seem to be almost ready with a few visitors stands tall at the Kanke dam at the foothill of Rock Garden. Though, none of the authorities seems to be caring much for this new spot. Not inaugurated but made open for public, who have vandalized the facilities that seem to be gathering dust with clearly no signs of cleanliness and maintenance at the park.
Earlier this month in a presentation made by the Urban Development department at the Town Hall it had been mentioned to develop an ‘Urban haat’ at Rock Garden near Kanke Dam with adventure sports facilities alongwith a children’s park, open air theatre, digital display, artificial water fall and more to be put up to add to the beauty of the existing entertainment park.
However, the facilities at the site are gathering dust with few ‘school boys’ enjoying alcohol and very young couples from nearby reputed schools loitering around in the presence of the security guards. The food cafeteria or rather half-constructed food court lies in total mess with broken window panels and broken glasses strewn all over the place. Notably, nobody seems to have a clue to who has been managing or even responsible for this building mess.
In April this year, the tourism department had stated that the Indian Tourism Development Corporation ITDC has been roped in to give the rocky green a `2.5 cr makeover with a light and sound show. A son et lumiere show, a show that aims to narrate the history of our tribal heroes through dancing beams of light and sound waves was also to be started here.
The project falls under the jurisdiction of the RRDA. “The new spot at the base of Rock Garden near Kanke Dam is the responsibility of the RRDA authorities and is currently, being beautified. There have been few illegal constructions observed at the spot and complaints of nuisance cropping up from there that has raised doubts at the board meeting yesterday. But, we are yet to receive a concrete response,” said Sanjeev Vijayvargiya, Deputy Mayor, Ranchi.
However, RRDA authorities seemed to be quite unaware of this part of their responsibility. “We are not responsible for this new park. We are only aware of the adventure sports facility that has come up at the Rock Garden. If there’s a new park made here, then it can be a work of some private player,” said Onil Clement Oriya, RRDA Secretary.
Rock Garden is situated at a stone’s throw from Ranchi city on the Kanke Road, which has been carved out of the Gonda Hill. This man-made complex has been designed and built to resemble the Rock Garden of Jaipur.
The tourist spot is complete with faux waterfalls, rock and sculptures that have been aesthetically placed to provide the locals tourists to spend quiet moments in the lap of nature.