Odisha CM gifts ‘Anandabana’ to denizens of capital city

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today inaugurated Anandabana, an urban forest, in the capital city here.

The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), in collaboration with the Forest department, has developed Anandabana on around 90 acres of land at Shankarpur in Kalinganagar area of the city.

The urban forest has 1,000 metres of soil trail, 550 metres of rock trail and 3,830 metres of bicycle trail for the visitors, said the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in a statement.

Besides, one can find at least 10,000 trees and plants, including many medicinal ones, at Anandabana. Moreover, the urban forest has three water bodies, spread over 32,750 square feet area, inside it.

The urban forest has been divided into two patches with a foot overbridge in the middle.

In addition to this, the authorities have constructed tree houses, rope bridge, wooden bridge, rose garden, sitting facilities, interpretation centre, open-air theatre, food courts, rain shelter, playing area for kids, toilets and parking lots at the urban forest.

Each and every tree variety of trees at the urban forest has a barcode pasted on it. The visitors can check details regarding the tree, including its medicinal qualities, by scanning the barcode, sources added.

“Recognizing the importance of preserving green spaces and fostering a healthy urban environment, Anandabana aims to establish green infrastructure in the urban landscape to enhance the overall air quality index, thereby aligning with the broader vision of environmental stewardship,” said the CMO.

Under the visionary leadership of the Chief Minister, Anandabana has been conceptualized to ensure that the citizens of the capital city can continue to enjoy a vibrant and sustainable city life. The state government is undertaking significant initiatives in the redevelopment of forest areas to create ‘Urban Forests’. Anandabana represents one such endeavour in recreating urban forests within city life, it added.