BMC trims zoo revamp plan

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According to the official, considering that a huge crowd is likely to gather at the zoo to see the penguins, the enclosures will be expanded to accommodate them. While the original plan of the zoo revamp was of Rs 433 crore, it has been reduced to around Rs 325 crore, said the official.

The BMC missed the deadline for bringing the penguins to the zoo by December last year. Now, it plans to bring them by August 2016. “As of now, the interior work, light support system, filtration and other work for the penguin enclosure is going on. We have set August 2016 as the target for bringing in the penguins,” said another official, adding that there is a plan to have an aquarium on the premises of the penguin enclosure.

Bringing penguins to Byculla Zoo is the dream project of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. BMC has purchased three male and three female penguins worth Rs2.57 crore from a Thailand firm. It will spend an additional Rs 6.50 crore on their maintenance for five years.

While the Byculla Zoo revamp was first proposed in 2007, the final approval from the Central Zoo Authority came in December 2012. However, the revamp was delayed due to a stuck clearance from the Mumbai Heritage Committee.

Civic officials said they also plan to take up the work of other animal enclosures, which include hyenas, tigers, Swamp Deer, Barking Deer, sambars, leopards, reptile house and others. “The work order for this will be issued in May. We hope to the complete it this year. We have been asked to give quarterly report on the revamp work by senior officials. Also, the master plan for the zoo’s expansion on the Mafatlal land is being prepared,” added the official.