The Assam government has revoked the process of allotment of the 60-bigha plot of land of the erstwhile Central Jail at Fancy Bazar to private parties for construction of shopping malls, and instead decided to develop a botanical garden in the area.
Announcing this before the media, Guwahati Development Department Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the previous Congress government had started the process for handing over the huge plot to private parties for construction of shopping complexes and malls after the Central Jail was shifted to Boragaon.
“But we have annulled the previous government’s decision and resolved to develop a botanical garden in the area. This is in sync with our policy of developing Guwahati as a green city. The GMDA has been asked to start work on the garden from this year itself,” Sarma said.
The botanical garden will have a wide variety of plants, including medicinal plants and plants endemic to the State. It will also have a walking track.
Sarma added that a parking lot would also be constructed at Fancy Bazar for easing the traffic chaos in and around the area.
