Sikharchandi Hill to become a tourist hotspot with Rs 30 crore makeover

Sikharchandi Hill in Bhubaneswar will become a tourist attraction with various amenities and greenery. The project is approved by the Chief Minister and will cover 54 acres of land.

The Sikharchandi Hill in Bhubaneswar will soon become a major destination for tourists, as the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) is developing various amenities and facilities for visitors, an official announced on Sunday. According to BDA vice-chairman Balwant Singh, the project will cost around Rs 30 crore and will include parking, community centre, children playing areas, recreational centre, trekking route, view point, battery-operated vehicles for PwDs, electric buses, and separate zones for picnickers. The project is part of the master plan for redevelopment of the hill that was approved by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in January. The master plan covers an area of nearly 54 acres, comprising the main temple and its surroundings. As part of the green initiative, a community plantation drive was held on Sunday morning by BDA, Bhubaneswar Municipal corporation (BMC) and Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC), where over 5,000 people, including 2,000 school and college students, planted more than 3,400 saplings of different species across five acres of land.

Officials reported that over 5,000 people, among them 2,000 students from schools and colleges, took part in planting more than 3,400 saplings of various kinds over an area of five acres. 

This initiative is part of the redevelopment project of the hill, which was approved by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in January. The project covers a total of 54 acres of land, encompassing the main temple and its vicinity.