Bhubaneswar: Under its ambitious “Light Sculpture Project’’, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has taken up illumination of three major flyovers i.e. Vani Vihar, Acharya Vihar and Jaydev Vihar in the heart of the city and also illumination of six parks and 17 temples in the Old Town area to create an impressive lighting arrangement to give public spaces an illuminated makeover. All lightings will be done through state-of-art LED lighting arrangements.
The BDA project is aimed at creating ambient lighting around the public spaces so that a beautiful atmosphere is created so as to attract people and decorate the cityscape with the modern lighting tool.
While the three flyovers are all along the NH-16 passing through the city, the six parks in the list for illumination include Biju Patnaik Park, Indira Gandhi Park, Buddha Jayanti Park, Mahatma Gandhi Park and Kharavela Park.
The temple in Old Town area (both under the Central and State protection list) will have a new look so that people will tend to have a walk around them during evening hours and enjoy the ambience. The 17 temples include: Anantavasudeva Temple, Markandeswar Temple, Sari Temple, Vaital Temple, Bhabanisankar Temple, Chitrakrini Temple, Dakarabibhisaneswar Temple, Devi Padahara Temple, Bakreswar Temple, Nabakeswar Temple, Swarnajaleswar Temple, Papanasini and Maitreswar Temple, Aisaneswara Temple, Makareswar Temple, Dwaravashini Temple, Mohini Temple and Yameswara Temple.
As per sources in BDA while the LED lighting work for the three flyovers is in the verge of completion, the parks are almost ready while the work at IG Park is over. Today there was a trial run of the IG Park lighting including that near the fountain and many visitors lined up for taking selfies. Out of 17 temples work in more than 10 temples is over.
The financing for the entire “Light Sculpture Project’’ is done through the CSR funding by leading mining companies operating in the State i.e. Essel Mining Industries Ltd, Rungta Mines, SN Mohanty Group and MGM Group.
It is learnt that the maintenance and upkeep of the entire LED lighting system will be done for four years by the companies, which are fitting their lighting products on these sites. The energy bills for the six city-based parks will be footed by BDA and the power bills for the flyovers and temple will be taken up by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.
“With the extensive lighting of major public places, parks and temples in the Old Town area, the Temple City would be ending up as a “City of Lights in the making’’ very soon. Already the city is having two light and sound shows and this new addition would definitely make the cityscape colourful and attractive for the tourists and visitors,’’ said an official from BDA.
It can be noted here that Paris is called the leading “City of Lights“ in the world as there are over 296 illuminated sites in the French Capital covering important buildings and monuments. Interestingly, 33 out of Paris’ 37 bridges are now illuminated with lights during evening hours.
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