The proposed gymnasium at Indira Gandhi Park here is likely to be completed in a month as the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) is giving finishing touches to the building.
The gymnasium, being set up on an area of 3,000 sq ft and at an estimated cost of Rs 40 lakh, will be operated on public-private-partnership (PPP) mode.
While BDA will construct the building, a private operator will install the equipment and manage the gymnasium. Users will have to pay some fee to use the gymnasium. Details of profit sharing between the two partners would be chalked out later, said a BDA officer.
The fully air-conditioned gymnasium will have various hydraulic equipment and specialized trainers.
“The idea of having a gymnasium was mooted to provide extra facilities to visitors to the park. People, who can hardly take time off their busy schedule will also find it convenient to visit the gym during morning and evening hours for walks,” said BDA’s executive engineer (division III) Ambika Mohanty. More than 2,000 people visit the park for morning and evening walks every day.
BDA officials said the user fee would be decided after discussion with the private operator. At present private gymnasiums in the city charge anything between Rs 300 and Rs 1,500 from a person for a month.
The city has two gyms run by the state government. While the gym at Kalamandap Yogic Centre near Kalpana Square is being managed by state sports and youth services department, another gym at Baulagada, Old Town, is being run by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.
Though BDA had attempted to set up a gymnasium at Biju Patnaik park, the project was scrapped following complaints by morning walkers.
Courtesy: Times of India