Country’s first Samvidhan Park awaits completion
   Date :26-Nov-2022

Samvidhan Park  
 
 
 
By Vikas Vaidya
Delay in administrative approvals, problems in raising people’s contribution required has led to country’s first Samvidhan Park remaining a pending project. The Park is being developed in the premises of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University’s Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar College of Law situated at Law College Square. The project dating back the year 2019 is still not completed.
The expenditure involved in the project is approximately Rs 10 crore which was supposed to be collected either through public participation or through funding from Government. Dr Anil Hirekhan, Registrar of Gondwana University, pursued the matter with various Government agencies to make it a reality. The said idea was conceptualised by Dr Hirekhan and Dr Puranchandra Meshram, former Registrar of RTMNU. The architectural design was made by Sandip Kamble. The idea started taking shape in 2016. On November 26, 2019, on Samvidhan Diwas, bhoomipujan was performed in presence of the then Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, MLC Jogendra Kawade, Girish Gandhi, and others.
The plan was such that the present gate of the college was to be re-constructed with two beautifully decorated pillars on each side. The board will have name of college as well as Samvidhan Preamble Park along with a photograph of
Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. From the main gate, one can have a glimpse of 7.5 feet grand statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar which will stand at the centre of the Park. The park will have beautiful lawn and proper sitting arrangement for common public. There will be seven digital boards placed in circle around the lawn. The seven values including Justice, Equality, Liberty, Fraternity etc will be written on the boards. If one touches the board, a detailed description of the values will appear on that board. A special type of light effect will be there in the park that will make it look extravagant during night hours. The walls will be made of special type to get it cleaned in easier way.
Nagpur Improvement Trust was appointed as Nodal agency to supervise the construction of actual park inside. University was to construct the grand gate but it couldn’t do that due to some technical issues. There is a flyover being constructed on Amravati road and initially some disputes were raised. But Senior Officer of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) said that it had given No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the project. “There is a rule according to which no construction should be made within 6 meter of the road. But the Park is being constructed in the premises so we have no problems,” pointed out Borkar.
Clarifying the university’s stand, Dr Subhash Chaudhari, Vice Chancellor of RTMNU told ‘The Hitavada’, “This project came when I took charge as Vice Chancellor. I was very much excited for the project. I and my team started taking steps for its completion. Earlier the height of the gate was 40-45 feet while the width was 60 feet. When the flyover project has taken over the issue of view of Samvidhan Park from the other part was defeated. Nobody could be able to have the view of Park from the other part of the road because of the height of the gate and flyover. Now we have to have the height of the gate less than the height of flyover. We have discussed this issue in Management Council too. From University’s side there is no problem.”
A committee was constituted to monitor the project under the Chairmanship of Dr Girish Gandhi, Trustee, Vanrai. Primarily, Dr Girish Gandhi, ex-MLC Prof Jogendra Kawade, ex-MLC Prof Anil Sole, ex-MLC Prakash Gajbhiye, ex-MP Ajay Sancheti, ex-MP Dr Vikas Mahatme contributed Rs 5 lakh each for this project. The then Social Justice Minister Rajkumar Badole during Fadanavis Government had given over Rs 2 crore for this park. Considering the grandeur of The Park, the cost went beyond the estimated Rs 10 crore. The lack of funds too became the problem.
Nagpur has Samvidhan Chowk, it has Deekshabhoomi, this is the place where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar had taken Deeksha. It was his Karmabhoomi also so setting up of Samvidhan Park in this city is most relevant.
Whether this prestigious project be completed in 2023 or not is a million dollar question.