BMC launches app to help visitors navigate through Byculla Zoo

The mobile app is divided into multiple sections comprising Animal Enclosures, Heritage Monuments, Amenities, Theme Gardens and Biodiversity, among other sections.

Ranibaug is Mumbai’s only heritage garden which houses multiple heritage structures like Pyaas (Drinking water fountain), Bandstand, Sun Dial and Frere Temple.

As a result citizens can click underneath the heritage section and select the monument they would want to learn about, following which visitors will be able to find all information with regards to the history and importance of the structure.

One of the key takeaways behind this application is a section that gives information of hundreds of species of trees and plants located within the periphery of the garden. For example, if a visitor clicks on the Baobab Tree section, he would get information related to the tree’s history as well as their scientific usage.

The app was unveiled by Dr. Sanjay Tripathi, director of Byculla Zoo, DM Sukhtankar, retired IAS officer who also served as the municipal commissioner of Mumbai and chief secretary of Maharashtra and Pheroza Godrej, conversationalist and art historian.

Speaking at the inaugural event, Dr. Tripathi said that in the past eight years the tree count inside Ranibaug has seen a substantial increase.
“The data of trees that is available in the app is till 2016, following which we took up renovation and upgradation of the zoo. During this process not a single tree was cut and on the contrary we were able to increase the tree count by planting at least 2,000 different species of trees at various places in the garden,” Tripathi said.

“The tree data is being further updated and will be included in the app with the latest count,” he added. Retired IAS officer DM Sukhtankar said that this application will serve as a digital catalogue for the zoo which will make several features of the garden accessible to the common people.

“The primary aim is to keep the garden preserved, this application will provide people with ease of access and navigation across the large open space,” Sukhtankar said.

Ranibaug, at present, houses 4,000 species of trees as well as 256 species of living and microorganisms. The entire open space is connected through a 4-km pathway traversing through multiple sections of the garden.