Waterfall, pond to be built on rocks of Cubbon Park

Waterfall, pond to be built on rocks of Cubbon Park

Four lawns, each of 63,000 square feet, shaded by trees, will be developed

Odeal D'Souza. Bangalore

Cubbon Park is gearing up for a makeover. The Karnataka Department of Horticultre is chalking out plans to set up an exotic artificial waterfall and an ornamental pond in its environs, all built on rock .
"Cubbon Park already has one pond, but we are trying to create one on a rock for the first time," said department officials.
It was only recently that the department gave Lalbagh Botanical Garden a cactii house, and has now evinced keen interest in turning around the look of Cubbon Park to attract more visitors. Thus, there are projects lined up for its facelift to the tune of Rs2 crore in the year 2009-2010.
The department will develop four lawns, each of 63,000 square feet, shaded by trees and carpetted with grass specially meant for people to sit.
"The park is primarily filled with trees and the ground is hard. The attempt is to organise the park better and make it more comfortable for people. We are, therefore, planning to develop lawns in areas below the trees expecially in the Gopal Gowda Circle area, Band Stand area opposite the Cubbon statue and Siddalingaiah Circle area. These areas are very dirty now and are being used more as a waste dumpyard," officials said.
The department had created one such lawn last year near Kasturba Circle. It now plans to develop it further by adding paragolas, gazebo and lanterns.
"Many parts of the park are quite densely forested and are infested with snakes. We are trying to make them safe with specially constructed walkways to allow people to walk in the park without the fear of being bitten by snakes or insects. Some areas will also be renovated into a garden," officials added.
The department is likely to begin these works in the coming months and will complete it in a year's time. As of now, authorities are still in the process of executing last year's projects as they were sent for approval only in May 2009. They received those approvals only after two months.