The proposed planetarium and science park near Gopalpur in Ganjam district will be completed by December this year.
The Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) is constructing both projects with an investment of Rs 22 crore at Bikrampur, near Gopalpur. The project was entrusted to IDCO two years ago, but land hurdles delayed the project.
The government was earlier planned to set up the planetarium at Bikrampur under Kanisi tehsil on 10 acres of land. But the villagers opposed this as the land was primarily for cattle grazing. Following this, IDCO curtailed the total land area from 10 acres to 8 acres. Secondly, the area is coming up at a hill site area near Bikrampur, so the stone cutting is further delaying the project. The IDCO is expecting to complete the project in next six- seven months and is now scheduled for December 2023.
Meanwhile, the concerned authorities have already placed orders to buy different scientific equipment for installation in the new planetarium. It will cost Rs 9 crore.