The maintenance contract was awarded to Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Pvt Ltd (SPCL) in consortium with New Zealand’s Marinescape Limited. While the penalty amounted to Rs 7.12 crore—calculated at one per cent of the monthly maintenance price for each non-compliant tank for the duration of the default—the CAG found that only Rs 1 lakh was recovered by the GCSC.
Science City, which functions under the state’s Science and Technology Department, told auditors it had also withheld part of the agency’s payment over the deficiencies.
The CAG observed that since the Aquatic Gallery opened, certain exhibit tanks housed fewer aquatic species than prescribed under the construction and maintenance contract (CMC). The deficit ranged between 23 tanks in July 2021 to 42 tanks in July 2022—a shortfall of 33.82 per cent to 61.76 per cent. Eleven tanks remained deficient throughout, from July 2021 to March 2023.
In its report on the first audit of the gallery, the CAG has pointed out under the head ‘Sub-Optimal Maintenance of Aquatics Gallery’, that in nine tanks—13.24 per cent of the total—no replenishment was carried out after aquatic species fell below the prescribed minimum. The audit analysed the number of months taken for replenishment after the first instance of default and found that the contractor took between two months and 18 months.
What the maintenance contract stated
The GCSC, a society established in 1999 with the objective of “promoting and exhibiting interaction of science, technology, energy and environment with human life”, awarded the CMC of Aquatic Gallery to SPCL and Marinescape Limited in October 2017. The scope of work included maintenance services for the project, including maintenance, feed, and veterinary support of the aquatic species.
The total construction work, including 68 tanks, was completed at a cost of R 257.51 crore, and the gallery was opened to visitors in July 2021.
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The contractor was bound by the CMC with respect to the maintenance conditions—the maintenance period was 60 months with effect from July 2021, and during the maintenance period, the contractor was responsible for 100 per cent replacement of the deceased aquatic species within one month at their own cost.
Further, during the maintenance period, at least 95 per cent of exhibit tanks—64 out of 68—were to contain the specified number of aquatic species as per the CMC. If the prescribed threshold was not met, the contractor was to incur a penalty of “one per cent of the monthly maintenance price for each additional non-compliant tank for the duration of the default”.
Mortalities ‘common’, CAG told
The audit observed that with respect to the replenishment of the species in nine tanks, no replenishment was done at all since the first instance of aquatic species going below the prescribed minimum.
For the shortfall in October 2022, a penalty of Rs 1 lakh was imposed as the fish quantities reduced. Also, during the mentioned period, Rs 11 lakh payment to the agency was withheld until the compliance of fish replenishment was received.
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In July 2023, the GCSC stated before the CAG that mortalities were “common” in the aquarium industry. It further stated that the contractor had been replenishing the fish against mortalities, and many exotic and attractive additional species were introduced from time to time due to the unavailability of the specified species.
As per the Bill of Quantities (BOQ), approximately 11,800 fish should be maintained in 68 tanks, and a minimum of 11,210 fish need to be present overall in tanks. “If we calculate the average monthly fish stocking during July 21, 2021, to March 23, 2023 (21 months), the average number is around 12,954, which is 1,744 more than the minimum fish stocking required,” an official at the Science and Technology Department told The Indian Express.
The CAG sated, “The reply of the GCS is not tenable because the Aquatic Gallery was required to be maintained as per its conceptual plan, and the terms and conditions of the CMC. Maintaining the required number of species was specified in the contract agreement and the penalty was a measure to enforce the same. The introduction of new species cannot justify non-compliance with the contractual obligations”.
The auditor also noted that the potential for mortalities had been factored into the contract, and therefore, the non-compliance amounted to “laxity”.
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The matter was brought to the notice of the Science and Technology Department in January and February 2025.
Introduction of new species the ‘norm’, says Science City
In its recent response to the CAG, a copy of which is with the Express, the GCSC stated that the Aquatic Gallery houses a variety of exotic wild-caught/aquarium-bred varieties of fish, amphibians and penguins.
“Across the world, the aquarium facilities have a fish list/BOQ (Bill of Quantities) as a reference point for the initial introduction. The availability of these species for replenishment purely depends on market availability as well as availability in nature, as many of them show seasonality and breed and flourish in specific seasons only,” it added.
According to GCSC, the introduction of new/alternate species during the replenishment cycle was the “norm” across world aquariums, to “renew” displays and attract visitors. “The live aquatic species are very sensitive and some of them have a very shorter life cycle as compared to other living animals in zoos and under captivity,” it further said.
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GCSC added, “Regarding exhibit-wise shortfalls, it should be noted that these exotic fish are wild-caught and seasonal. The agency has been consistently advised to make efforts to restock them. Meanwhile, to compensate for species that are temporarily unavailable, the agency has replenished the exhibits with alternative species of similar nature.”
An official at the gallery told The Indian Express that the Aquatic Gallery had provided technical assistance to the Taraporevala Aquarium in Mumbai, run by the Maharashtra government, “…and has accommodated specific fish species from their collection in the Aquatic Gallery during their renovation period”.
The Aquatic Gallery has a ticketed entry of Rs 200 per person. As per the website, Science City has recorded a total of over 42.35 lakh visitors since it opened in 2021 till October last year.
