Rose Garden revamp tender makes no mention of planetarium upgrade

The Municipal Corporation has floated a Rs 8.46-crore tender for the facelift of Nehru Rose Garden. However, the tender details make no mention of constructing a library or upgrading the Nehru Planetarium, developments eagerly awaited by both elderly and children. The omission has left many in the community disappointed as the facilities hold special significance for their learning and leisure.

Project components listed in the tender include the civil cost, including construction of footpaths, lighting and electrical, horticulture cost, including ornamental plants/rose beds, grass, water tank, irrigation cost, kids playing area, open gym and toilet block.

The public library located on the premises of Rose Garden was built in 1985. It was demolished in October this year and has been shifted to Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan since then. The library was in a shambles with broken chairs and leaking roofs, which led to its demolition and visitors were hopeful that it will be reconstructed during the facelift of the Rose Garden but with no mentioning of the library in the same, it has left its members, mostly senior citizens, in vain.

“I stay on the College Road and used to visit the library during daytime while walking. Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan is quite far off and it becomes difficult to go there. I have not visited it since it was shifted. I was hopeful that it will be a part of the uplift project but sadly it has not been included, which has left me and many like me heartbroken,” said Satyam Verma, a senior citizen.

Another important aspect that has failed to get any mention in the project is Nehru Planetarium. Set up in 1987, it was a hit among schoolchildren. Schools used to arrange visits to the facility for students. Its last upgrade was done in 2017 and now, the structure needs a proper uphaul as technology has changed a lot since then. It was only during such group visits that the planetarium was made operational, otherwise it was non-functional. Its roof is leaking, the programme educator, who used to explain the cosmic activity, has retired and it has failed to generate enough revenue due to its present condition.

Kulwinder Kaur, a retired Physics teacher recalled days when she used to take her students to the planetarium.

“It was such a beautiful project. Everything was explained to visitors in such a good manner. Students grasp things easily when they watch the same. It was a practical activity for science students but sadly it is lying in a shambles now. The authorities should upgrade the facility as it’s a good learning source for the children,” she adds.

A senior MC official confirmed that both library and planetarium did not find any mention in details of items to be covered under the project.

Mayor Inderjit Kaur said she have to check details before commenting as she was not aware whether library and planetarium had been covered in the project or not.