Varanasi: The district headquarters and hill town of Robertsganj in Sonbhadra will soon get dedicated sports, food and green zones beneath its sprawling flyover as part of a Rs 4-crore urban beautification project. Spread over nearly 1 km, the project aims to transform the vacant space under the flyover into a vibrant public recreational area inspired by similar developments in Toronto, Canada.As part of efforts to develop Robertsganj into a smart city, District Magistrate Charchit Gaur said the district administration has taken the initiative to make the unused space beneath the Robertsganj flyover both functional and attractive. On the lines of the underpass park developed beneath a flyover in Toronto, Canada, urban amenities will be created at the site. The entire project will be funded through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL). The action plan has been finalised, and construction work will begin soon. Around Rs 4 crore will be spent on developing the nearly 1-km stretch.Keeping in view Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision of creating clean, beautiful and well-planned cities, the area beneath the flyover will be developed into three major zones, Gaur said.“In the sports zone, modern swings for children, a play area, badminton and basketball courts, and cricket practice nets will be developed. An open gym will also be set up to encourage fitness among residents,” he said.The food zone will provide space for residents to enjoy a variety of cuisines, while the green zone will feature ornamental plants and landscaped areas. To promote awareness about the concept of ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’, attractive sculptures made from plastic, rubber and other discarded materials will be installed. The area will also be beautified with wall paintings and equipped with comfortable seating spaces for visitors.The district magistrate said the entire project has been planned in a manner that will not affect traffic movement. Adequate parking facilities will also be created beneath the flyover to cater to visitors. The sports, food and green zones will be illuminated with colourful lighting to turn the site into one of the city’s major attractions.
