Karnataka - Bijapur   

Toy-train project at Gol Gumbaz shelved

By Our Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR, OCT. 6. The Legislative Council Assurance Committee has advised the department concerned to shelve the proposal to run a toy train within the compound of the Gol Gumbaz here.

Although civil works are yet to begin, the Rs. 30-lakh project has practically commenced as the indent for manufacturing the toy train has been placed with the Railways.

The six-member committee, headed by B.R. Gurudev, reviewed the tourism scenario in the city today.

It discussed the existing and proposed schemes to tap the tourism potential with the officials from the district administration and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Mr. Gurudev along with other members of the committee, Ramachandra Gowda, Balakrishna Bhat, K. Pratapchandra Shetti, B.A. Hasanabba, and S. Ravi, also visited the Gol Gumbaz and Ibrahim Roza.

Heritage value

Sources said that the members, especially Mr. Gowda, had opposed the idea of running a toy train in the Gol Gumbaz compound.

He said that the historical monument complex should not become a picnic spot.

Tourists, especially foreigners, come to see the architectural grandeur of the monument and not to enjoy a picnic.

The project, aimed to boost tourism, should not reduce the heritage value of the monument, which was the main reason behind withdrawing the project, he said.

After the visit, it was unanimously decided to recommend the cancellation of the project.

Referred

The committee asked ASI officials to refer the architecture of Gol Gumbaz to the Institute of Engineers, Kolkata, to find out its aesthetic value and the science behind the echo it produced.

The Assistant Superintendent of Archaeology, Vishveshwaraiah, told the committee members the mud-roads within the Gol Gumbaz compound needed to be upgraded. As asphalting was not eco-friendly, bricks could be laid, he said.

Airstrip

Addressing presspersons, Mr. Gurudev said that the committee strongly felt the need to develop an airstrip in Bijapur.

The district administration had said that it had identified land near Tidagundi, 20 km from here, but the acquisition process had been delayed for want of funds.

The assurance committee, he said, would pressure the Government to release the required funds so that the project could be completed immediately.

Regarding the allocation to the annual Navaraspur Utsav being below normal, Mr. Gurudev said that the committee would take up the issue with the Government and ensure that justice was done.

Encroachment

Issues relating to the encroachment of the protected Adilshahi monuments including the fort wall were also discussed.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mohammad Mohsin, admitted that many of the monuments had been partially encroached.

The encroachment could be cleared only if a viable rehabilitation scheme was evolved.

If the ASI provided alternative land, the encroachers could be relocated, he said.

However, Mr. Vishveshwaraiah said that it was irrational to ask the ASI to provide the land.

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Toy-train project at Gol Gumbaz shelved

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