Sprawling theme park around giant Kempegowda statue planned on KIA premises

A 23-acre heritage park dotted with water fountains, a cascading waterbody, lighting, and landscaping has been planned

The government has sanctioned a Rs 20-crore theme park in the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) premises, to be built around a 200-ton bronze statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda.

The Urban Development Department (UDD) has taken the rare step of seeking exemption under Section 4(G) of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KTPP) Act to award contract for the work to KNK Construction Private Limited.

The firm will be tasked to develop the 23-acre heritage park dotted with water fountains, a cascading waterbody, lighting, and landscaping, among others. While giving its consent, the Finance Department has directed the UDD to ensure the private firm meets the quality standards.

The project is executed by the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Heritage Area Development Authority, established to conserve and develop 46 Kempegowda heritage sites, tourist spots, and monuments at Rs 226 crore. Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa sanctioned the project while in power.

Work to install Kempegowda’s mammoth bronze statue, to be called Statue of Prosperity, is nearing completion. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the statue, built at Rs 64 crore, will be unveiled in a month or two.

The authority has begun work on developing Magadi, Bengaluru and Nandi circuits. It has engaged Infrastructure Development Corporation Karnataka (iDeck) to prepare the detailed project report for proposals.

Sacred mud

The government on Tuesday announced that the sacred mud collected from different villages will be used in developing the theme park. Mud for the project will be collected during the 45-day campaign to cover all 31 districts.

The statue of Kempegowda, installed on the airport premises, will be called the Statue of Prosperity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to unveil the statue in November or December.

"Nadaprabhu Kempegowda is an iconic personality and stands as a symbol of progress and prosperity. He laid the foundation for building modern Bengaluru and, as a result of his vision, Bengaluru has become a world renowned city," said Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, vice-president of the Kempegowda Development Authority.