Odisha Govt. To Construct Rope Way Over Kanzia Lake In Nandan Kanan

31 March, Bhubaneswar

Odisha government will soon invite tender for the construction of a new ropeway over the Kanzia lake in NandanKanan Zoological park, Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh told the state Assembly Tuesday.

Replying to a question of Mr Priyadarshi Mishra (BJP), the Minister said the government had signed an MoU with M/s Ropeway and Resorts Pvt Ltd, Kolkotta in 1986 for 30 years to set up and manage the ropeway.

The ropeway was made operational on October 1,1994. The ropeway developed mechanical problem as the company failed to make proper repair and maintenance of the ropeway. It also failed to pay its dues to the government regularly.

The visitors faced problem as the company did not repair the ropeway even after it was given notice.

Keeping the security of the visitors in view the operation of the ropeway was closed on January 1, 2011. Similarly effort was on to reintroduce the toy train in the Nandan Kanan, the Minister said adding that M/S CITICON Service Pvt Ltd was given the contract through tender to run the toy train for a period of two years beginning from August 2013.

But the company expressed its unwillingness to operate the train after one year. Since the company violated the agreement the toy train service was stopped and the security of the company Rs 1,25,100 was forfeited.

A fresh tender was invited in August last year for the reintroduction of the toy train since no one participated in the tender process a tender was again invited in September 2014. Only one tender was received and it was under the consideration of the government, Arukh said.