Botanical garden to be completed in three phases

Grand project:The plan for the proposed botanical garden to come up in the prison grounds in Coimbatore.

With the appointment of a consultant for finalising the design and plan, the works for creating the botanical garden on the Coimbatore Central Prison premises is all set to begin and will be completed in three phases.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had announced that a world-class botanical garden would be set up in Coimbatore as part of the World Classical Tamil Conference, which concluded here recently.

A Government Order has been issued to hand over vacant land on the central jail premises.

Coimbatore District Collector P. Umanath told The Hindu that the administration planned to commence the works as soon as the consultant finalised the finer details of the master plan. The prison compound had 165 acres.

The land could be used for the botanical garden only after shifting the existing central prisonto a place outside the city.

In the first phase, the works would begin on the 45 acres of the vacant land inside the prison. In the second phase, work would begin on the 45 acres that has prison buildings.

The third phase of the works would begin only after shifting the prison.

Dr. Umanath said that Chennai River Restoration Trust is the nodal agency for carrying out the works. An official from the trust said that the consultant has been given two months to complete the design.

The official said that a gene bank of botanical species has also been planned. It is planned in such a way that it supplemented the works done by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and Indian Forestry Research institutions. The land would be put to effective use by providing space for extending the town bus stand. A convention centre and a multi-level car parking too had been planned. A meeting will be held next week in Coimbatore to study the demands and infrastructure needs.

 Source - HINDU