Smart City Mission nears end, work on Nehru Rose Garden uplift yet to start

With the Smart City Mission nearing its end in March, many projects will miss their deadline. Among others, the project that will not even get initiated is the uplift of Nehru Rose Garden. Tenders for the Rs 8.80 crore project to renovate the garden were floated in November 2024, but amid accusations of favouring of particular contractors, now fresh tenders had been floated for the project.

The technical bid for the tender was opened during the election code period after which one of the contractors raised the issue and objected and also shot a complaint to the state government. Adopting a safe side, the MC started the re-tendering process and according to the fresh process, one can apply for tenders till February 17.

Uplift of the Rose Garden was a move welcomed by the city people as it was being renovated after nearly a decade. The proposal for the same include planting 90 types of different flowers and fruit-bearing trees and landscaping of the garden will also be done from scratch. In addition to this, there is a plan to set up an open a gym, a kids play area, installation of fancy lights and building of toilets. Setting up of a mini zoo in the garden was what city people were looking forward to. The old fountain, which is the main attraction of the garden, will also be upgraded under the project.

It was late MLA (West) Gurpreet Gogi who took keen interest and was eager to get it renovated and give a place to the city people to breathe some fresh air. Presently, a group of people can be seen doing yoga in the morning and evening every day, pointing to the fact that Rose Garden, which was once a favourite spot among the city people, had lost its sheen over the years. Families use to visit it during weekends.

For children, apart from the swings, a boating club and a mini zoo were the main attractions. With passage of time, both attractions at the garden were closed in the 1990s as the MC faced problems in maintaining the lake, while the mini zoo was shut after an order from the Central Zoo Authority order in 2001 to ensure ethical treatment of wildlife in captivity.

“I heard about the Rose Garden getting an uplift, so I recently went for a stroll there, but saw that it was in the same condition,” said Harkesh Kaur, a senior citizen.