Rajkot to get Rs 100cr recreation centre

Rajkot: Residents of Saurashtra’s commercial capital will soon get a new hangout and recreation place.
The Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) has planned to build a modern recreation centre on the outskirts, providing another option to Racecourse, the oldest and favourite hangout places in the city.

Christened Atal Sarovar, the recreation centre will come up on the New Ring Road, which is part of Rs 3,000 crore Smart City project. RMC has invited expression of interests (EOI) from private players to develop this area as per the design prepared by the planners.

The total cost of this project is estimated to be around Rs 100 crore out of which 30% will be borne by RMC. The recreation centre, with a sprawling lake as the biggest attraction, will be spread in an area of nearly three lakh square metre.

Rajkot district collector handed over 1.62 lakh sq m area to the civic body for developing this project. However, RMC has demanded additional 1.28 lakh sq m area, which has been agreed to by the collectorate.

RMC plans to develop this lake within next three years and the developing agency will be given the rights to recover its investment and earn revenue for the next 15 years.

The civic body is planning landscaping of this area and develop dedicated jogging park and a cycling track. Visitors can enjoy the manual boating facility too.

While RMC is planning to develop 10-12 different types of gardens with flower beds, plans are also afoot to build one big botanical garden.

Two amphitheaters with laser shows during night time, food court and different rides for the children are also part of the project.

The natural water body existing here was named Atal Sarovar few months ago. However, it is difficult for RMC to keep it filled with water round the year. The civic body will set up a tertiary plant to reuse the waste water. The water from sewage treatment plant will be released in this lake and storm water drainage lines will be constructed in a way that rainwater from the Smart City flows into this lake.

Municipal commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani said, “We will develop the peripheral area of lake which will be spread around 1.28 lakh sq m. We have planned nearly 25 components for amusement of the people, it will be a new recreation centre in the smart city.”