Ranchi: A solar energy park is being planned in Jharkhand to create awareness among the people about the importance of solar energy, said officials.

The Jharkhand Renewal Energy Development Agency (JREDA) has undertaken work for the park. It will come up inside the existing Siddo and Kannhu Park in Ranchi.

The park would have a 10-seater bus, a state-of-the-art restaurant on an island, an exhibition hall, a toy train and cars, all of which will run on solar power.

P.K. Das, project director of JREDA, told IANS: "The solar energy park has been planned to create awareness among the people about the importance of solar energy. It will educate children and their parents through entertainment."

JREDA will soon issue tender notices and invite interested parties for the work. The project is worth around Rs.20 million. JREDA will install a 25 KW solar unit in the park. The solar unit will help in running the toy train, buses and other things that will come up in the park.

The park will be open to the public by the beginning of 2009.