Visitors complain of ‘poor’ facilities at amusement park

Bhubaneswar: Visitors to BDA City Centre, formerly known as Nicco Park, have expressed dissatisfaction with the facility's deteriorating conditions despite an entry fee of Rs 100.Once a bustling hub of entertainment, the park now leaves visitors disheartened, with many questioning the value of the entry fee given the subpar experience. The park, which previously boasted a variety of attractions, including a mini toy train, merry-go-round, caterpillar, tilt-a-whirl, moonraker and boating, now offers only three operational rides — the vortex ride, water coaster and striking car. The reduction in available attractions has left many visitors feeling short-changed. G Nikita, a resident, shared her disappointment after a recent visit. "We saw the photos of the park and facilities and went there to spend a good time. First they took Rs 700 for seven people, but the rides they provided were not up to the mark. The other city parks are way better," she claimed. Siddhant Kumar Barai, a corporate employee, said, "The worst part is the odour. The water coasters are in a dilapidated condition. The pond for boating also stinks." In response, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has announced plans for a comprehensive redevelopment of the park. The ambitious project, at an estimated budget of Rs 200 crore, will include the development of a 3.5-km stormwater channel and a lake zone along drainage channel 10 near Smart Janpath. BDA vice-chairman N Thirumala Naik said, "The issue was discussed recently at a high-level meeting and it was decided that an agency will be roped in for redevelopment of the park." A tender for the project is expected to be floated soon. Suprabha Dhal, from the park's operating team, attributed the decline in visitor numbers to damage from past cyclones and the impact of Covid-19 pandemic. "Earlier, the daily footfall used to be 5,000, but now there are not more than 200 visitors. The govt is planning a revamp of the park and will allocate funds for the purpose. We are hopeful the park will return to its earlier glory soon," Dhal said.