Bangalore: Three years after plans were finalised, the Freedom Park, to come up on the site of the old central prison, is yet to materialise.

Part of the old jail cells and a tower alone were left intact as a memorial to freedom fighters who were imprisoned there during the freedom movement.

The park, including a tower as a memorial to the freedom fighters, was to come up on 27 acres of land, after most of the buildings in the old jail were demolished.

The project was finalised after plans were gone through jointly by representatives of the State Government, Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, Horticulture Department and Banagalore Agenda Task Force, which was then active.

While the idea of a memorial to nationalist leaders was appreciated by many citizens, the BMP had its own reasons for supporting the project. There are no other large parks in the area and it would have provided much needed lung space. Other than preserving part of the old jail building and one of its towers as a memorial, only extensive landscaping would have been needed.

The city police had mooted the idea of reserving space in one corner of the park for protest demonstrations.

The BMP can go ahead with the work if it can find its own funds, government officials say.

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