NF Railway transforms wasteland into park with Rs 1.6 crore budget

Guwahati: The Northeast Frontier Railway, in keeping with its resolve to protect the environment, has transformed a wasteland in Guwahati into a beautiful park, officials said.

The park, named Sirisha Rail Udyaan, has been developed in the railways' own BG Colony in the Maligaon locality.  The newly constructed Sirisha Rail Udyaan was previously a wasteland area. However, due to waterlogging and garbage dumping, the place was almost abandoned and became "unhygienic" for the society and nearby residents, officials said. That is before the NEF Railways stepped in to "reclaim" the wasteland.

Around Rs 1.6 crore was spent to develop the project, a senior NF Railway official informed Business North east. "Construction work took around 120 days", the official added further. The NF Railway, in a press note, described the park as an "initiative to protect the environment and preserve the planet for future generations." 

The park covers an area of almost fifty-five hundred square meters with modern facilities like walking and running tracks for people of all age groups. It also features seating arrangements, a lawn area, and an open gym. The park includes separate washrooms for gentlemen and ladies.

The walls of the park are painted with the motive of imparting knowledge about the nature and cultural history of Assam. In addition to a children's play area, solar LED lamps have been installed. The park boasts a beautiful pond with two water fountains.

"Residents of the locality have appreciated this initiative taken by NF Railway as they bid goodbye to garbage, flies, and mosquitoes", the official said. "Everything has changed in the area since the water body was converted into a park; children play, and people come here for a walk."

Meanwhile, the NF Railway has been planting trees at various locations as part of a strategic commitment to improving green cover in and around the zone, adding to the beauty of the area and aiding in conserving biodiversity and sustainable development.

ALSO READ: How Cyclone Remal has affected agriculture in Assam