SAMBALPUR: Five years after it was inaugurated, the Western Odisha Freedom Fighters Memorial Hall and Museum at Gourisankar Sahani Park in the city is still waiting to be opened for public. The memorial and museum was set up with an aim to glorify the significance of western Odisha in the freedom struggle and sacrifices of the freedom fighters of the region. Several places in western Odisha including Sambalpur have a significant bearing on the freedom movement which is still unknown to many.
Besides, the current generation has very little idea about the freedom fighters of the region like Veer Surendra Sai and many others. When it was announced to construct a museum for freedom fighters and Independence struggle, residents of the city had welcomed the decision.
After the Public Works Department (PWD) completed the construction work, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the building on February 26, 2016. However, the museum continues to remain locked for residents as the district administration has decided to carry out a few interior designing work of the building. The memorial hall and museum spreads over 1.28 acre of land in the park located along the ring road in the city.
The building has been constructed on 6000 sq ft area at an estimated cost of Rs 1.05 crore. A pillar of 20 ft height has also been constructed in front of the two-storey building in memory of the martyrs. As per the design plan, portraits of freedom fighters were supposed to be installed in the museum with a brief history of their contribution besides articles used by them at the memorial hall.
The Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) had allocated Rs 70 lakh for the same and accordingly, tender was floated by the PWD. However, there has been an inordinate delay due to some problem with the firm selected for the work. Contacted, Sambalpur Collector Shubham Saxena said, “During his visit to Sambalpur on Tuesday, the WODC Chairman reviewed the status of the memorial building. We will assess the requirements to speed up the remaining work. It will be opened for the public soon.”