Enclosure work at Byculla zoo to begin next month

After the display of Humboldt penguins, the BMC is set to start work of 17 new animal enclosures in Byculla zoo. The civic body has received four bidders for its Rs 117 crore project out of which contractor's will be appointed this week after which work may begin immediately, a senior civic official told DNA.

The second phase of Veer Jijamata Udyan (Byculla zoo) revamp deals with housing 18 animals and birds. However, tenders were invited only for 17 animal enclosures.

Two tenders of Rs 60 crore and Rs 57 crore got four bidders. "Presently we are scrutinising the bids. The work order is likely to be given next month, said Dr Sanjay Tripathi, Director of the zoo.

The animals will be brought to the zoo through an exchange programme. The animals of Indian species will be exchanged with birds in the zoo like African grey and Macaw with other zoos in the country. The civic body plans the exchange of a lion, tiger, hyena, swamp deer, jackal from the Gujarat and Kanpur zoo.

If work of the second phase begins next month it will most likely be completed in the next 16 months. Presently, the 53-acre Byculla zoo houses 100 animals of 13 different species, 250 birds of 29 species and 33 reptiles of six species.