BMC floats tender for walk through coral and fish aquarium at Byculla zoo

The tunnels will replicate the natural habitat of the marine world and will also have pop-up windows that will allow visitors to experience an entire 360-degree undersea view. The cost of building this aquarium is estimated at Rs 65 crore and civic officials said it will take at least two years to complete the project, starting with appointment of consultants. Civic officials also said that the life support system will be equipped to hold 10 lakh litres of water and will comprise aquatic rocks and quarantine facilities with labs, that will be part of the aquarium project.

Civic officials said this aquarium will be built across the Humboldt Penguin Enclosure which is situated at the southern end of the zoo.

“There is a reserved space of 5,000 square feet to house an aquarium adjacent to the penguin enclosure. The aquarium will be set up there as only this place meets all necessary requirements needed for an aquarium space,” an official said.

This is also the second time BMC has floated a tender to construct an aquarium. When the MVA government came to power in 2019, the BMC had proposed setting up an aquarium with a marine research centre at the Worli dairy plot where a tourism complex was to be built. However, when the Shinde-Fadnavis government came to power in 2022, this plan was scrapped and the land was handed back to the state’s dairy department.

“Now the municipal commissioner has given the go ahead to refloat the tender for the aquarium. This aquarium will house more than 50 species of fish and marine creatures that will be brought from across the country. It will be a unique aquarium that provides a diverse aquatic display,” said the official. He said Byculla Zoo has already received clearances to bring aquatic creatures, but also said that the aquarium will only house fishes and corals, not aquatic mammals like whales and seals.

At present, Byculla Zoo houses 18 Humboldt penguins, two tigers and underwater crocodiles.