Mumbai: Govt signs Rs 500 crore MoU for new zoo, to offer night safaris
The proposed zoo will not only have a conservation and protection centre for rare animals but also have night safaris to attract tourists.
In Short
- The proposed zoo will have night safaris to attract tourists
- According to the officials, the zoo is estimated to cost around Rs 500 crore
- The project will create many job opportunities as well, said Maharashtra Forest and Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar
If everything goes according to plan, Mumbai will add a night safari in its map to give a boost to the state tourism industry.
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMU) to set up a world-class zoo at Aarey Milk Colony area in Mumbai's Goregaon. The MoU was inked in the presence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Forest and Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi.
According to the officials, the zoo is estimated to cost around Rs 500 crore.
The proposed zoo will not only have a conservation and protection centre for rare animals but also have night safaris to attract tourists.
Approximately 100 acres out of the 190 acres of the government land at Aarey Milk Colony will be used to develop the zoo. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will be the controlling authority for the proposed zoo.
"People fly down to Mumbai but don’t spend much time here. They fly out to Goa, Bangalore and other places. But if such world-class facilities are created then the tourists are bound to stay longer and that will be beneficial for all. The project will create many job opportunities as well," said Maharashtra Forest and Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar.
Adding a touch of humour, he said that the project will not see any financial constraint as he had both vann (forest) as well as dhann (finance) departments with him.
Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi, known as an avid wildlife enthusiast, too said the activities in the zoo will be well coordinated. A team of experts will be appointed to take care of the various activities at the zoo, he said.
At the event, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray again reiterated his dream of turning the Mahalaxmi Race Course into a modern theme park.
However, in addition to the BMC-run Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo at Byculla, the proposed zoo will be the second one in the city. Apart from building a new one, the existing zoo is also undergoing modernisation.