Marine odyssey by 2000

MUMBAI, April 14: The inauguration of the underwater world, which will replace the landmark Taraporewala Aquarium, has been tentatively sche...

MUMBAI, April 14: The inauguration of the underwater world, which will replace the landmark Taraporewala Aquarium, has been tentatively scheduled for January 1, 2000. Speaking to Express Newsline today, S Venkat, Director of Mumbai Underwater World Private Limited, a company owned and operated by Alliance Technology and Development Ltd ATD, the developers for the project, said the construction work on the project would begin in June.

If Singapore-based ATD8217;s blueprint for the waterworld is anything to go by, it has in mind something bigger and better than what they have at home. So, while Singapore waterworld has a tunnel 88 metre long, in Mumbai, one would be able to walk 122 metre surrounded by fish from all sides. Yes, all sides.

That8217;s another area where Mumbai would beat Singapore. The tunnel at the Singapore waterworld does not have a see-through base. The tunnel will have the capacity to accommodate 400 visitors. The project would cost Rs 134 crore.

Dr S V Joshi, Secretary, FisheriesDepartment, said that the state government had already started vacating the premises so that the present structure could be demolished. 8220;We will distribute the fish to various aquariums in the state. 8217;Out of 22 government employees attached to the aquarium, 10 have agreed to join the new company after quitting the government job. The rest will be absorbed in other government departments,8221; he said. Joshi adding that the Maharashtra Fisheries Development Corporation and SICOM would have a stake of Rs 2 crore each in the project.

Joshi said a visit to the underwater world would cost adults Rs 140 each and children Rs 70 each. At present the entrance fee is Rs 4 for an adult and Rs 2 for a child. The rates might come down a bit if the union government exempted ATD from custom duty. Venkat, however, said it was too early to talk about the entry fee, but claimed that it would be the lowest among the waterworlds across the world.

As on today, 12 lakh people visit the aquarium annually, 60 per cent of whichare below the age of 12 years. The aquarium earns Rs 25 lakh every year, making a net profit of Rs 4 lakh. The ATD would pay Rs 50 lakh to the government as lease rent for 50 years.