Wait for light and sound show at Brahma Sarovar gets longer
The wait for light and sound show at Brahma Sarovar is getting longer.During the last International Gita Mahotsav (IGM), the then Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, had announced a show for Brahma Sarovar and directed the Kurukshetra Development Board to introduce the show before the next IGM. But the project is yet to see the day of the light, while the mahotsav is set to be start from November 28.
Earlier, a multimedia laser show at a cost of Rs 16 crore under the Centre’s Krishna Circuit Scheme was approved in 2019. The show was to be developed by the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and a tender was also awarded to a firm in 2020. The entire project was scrapped due to a continuous delay and objection related to the base of the structure.
As per the tender, a floating base structure was to be constructed, while the Haryana Tourism Corporation and Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB) wanted a fixed structure.
An official, who had been associated with the project, said, “Earlier, a temporary show used to be organised during the IGM but later it was decided that a permanent show be organised because lakhs of tourists thronged Brahma Sarovar and there was no evening attraction. The show was approved and budget was received from the Centre. The local authorities wanted a fixed structure so that the beauty of the Sarovar was not lost. The departments failed to resolve the issue and the project got shelved. It was an important project to enhance the evening attraction and last year the CM announced the project but it has got stuck in the announcement phase so far.”
Meanwhile, honorary secretary of Kurukshetra Development Board Upender Singhal said, “After the previous project got scrapped, the KDB had requested the state government to fund the project. During the International Gita Mahotsav last year, the then Chief Minister had announced that a new show will be introduced at Brahma Sarovar before the next IGM, but soon after, the board got busy with the IGM in Sri Lanka and then there were the Lok Saba elections and Assembly elections.”
“The proposal is ready and even the content of the show is also ready. Soon after the IGM, we will take up the project with the Chief Minister and get the show ready here. The light and sound show is an important project for us as it will enhance the evening attraction of the Brahma Sarovar. All arrangements for the mahotsav are being made”, he added.
