LDA wants Rs 200 cr corpus fund to ‘maintain’ Akhilesh’s dream project

If the LDA’s demand is met, this will be the second such fund released by the state government for a 'dream project' of the Yadav family.

Akhilesh Yadav, Janeshwar Mishra Park, Lucknow Development Authority, corpus fund, LDA corpus fund, LDA Akhilesh Yadav,Akhilesh Yadav corpus fund, Samajwadi Party, Lucknow news

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav shares sweets with Shia cleric Kalbe Jawwad at Bada Imambara on Eid, in Lucknow on Saturday. (Source: Express photo by Pramod Adhikari)

Walking on the footsteps of former BSP government whose chief Mayawati had constituted a corpus fund of Rs 200 crore for the maintenance of memorials constructed during her regime, the Lucknow Development Authority has placed a similar demand before the Akhilesh Yadav government – for the Chief Minister’s dream project, Janeshwar Mishra Park.

Named after socialist ideologue and Samajwadi Party leader Janeshwar Mishra, the picturesque garden in Gomti Nagar extension, claimed to be Asia’s largest and modelled after London’s Hyde Park, “requires a large sum of money for its maintenance which is not possible with the limited resources (it currently has)”, according to the letter written by the LDA to its parent department, Housing, which is held by Akhilesh himself.

“This is a one-of-its-kind and Asia’s largest park. It has many special features. We have to undertake special maintenance work for which we require funds. We have requested the housing department to create a corpus fund with an initial amount of Rs 200 crore to meet the maintenance need,” Satyendra Singh, vice chairman of LDA, told The Indian Express. He added that certain other models to generate funds are in pipeline.

If the LDA’s demand is met, this will be the second such fund released by the state government for a “dream project” of the Yadav family. Last year, the Akhilesh government had created a corpus fund of Rs 100 crore for Mulayam Singh Yadav’s dream project, Lion Safari in Etawah.

Inaugurated by the CM and opened for the public in August 2014, the park – spread over 376-acres of land and comprising beautiful landscapes, two huge ponds, golf course, sports centre, gymnasium, cycle track, jogging track, theme gardens, children’s play area and lawns – attracts visitors from all walks of life.

“(But) the park is not a revenue model. We cannot maintain it from the ticket sales. It is so huge that it requires more funds for which we have sent our proposal,” Singh said.

He added that the fund will take care of the “shortfall” that the LDA has to brace with each year in maintaining the park. “This way we can keep the park well maintained.”

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The CM’s dream project serves as a venue for the ruling party’s conventions (one such national convention was held in October 2014) and a major “achievement” for Akhilesh who often tweets pictures of the park. “Our parks attract even our adversaries. Like in Lohia Park, which was established by Netaji (Mulayam), all go for the fresh oxygen,” Akhilesh had said recently during an official function.

Standing grand with its estimated cost of over Rs 500 crore, the project also includes a proposed multi-activity zone which will include facilities for cricket, football, volleyball, tennis, horse riding, skating rink, a workout zone and an adventure zone. A Lucknow Eye, on the lines of London Eye, has also been proposed for the park.

The project’s history is mired in controversy with BSP accusing the SP government of “usurping” its site meant for its own project, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Harit Park. Akhilesh had ruled out the protest on grounds that the BSP does not possess any document to stake claim on the site.

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