Mumbai Zoo is all set to adorn a new look by 2012

The city zoo, which has been receiving flak since the death of a five-year-old hippopotamus in April, is all set to adorn a new look by the year 2012. After recieving green signal from the Mumbai Heritage Committee for the Rs 433 crore modernisation plan last week, Byculla Zoo Authorities, is now awaiting approval from the Standing Committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC).
       
"The work will be carried out in four phases and it would kickstart after clearance from the Standing Committee. While tenders for Phase I has been recieved, tenders will be invited for other three phases soon," deputy municipal commissioner (Gardens) Vikram Pawar said. The proposal is likely to come up for approval before the Standing Committee next week.
       
Thailand-based HKS Designer and Consultancy had prepared the Rs 433 crore master plan for the 53 acre Veermata Jijabai Bhosale zoo at Byculla in central Mumbai. In its Phase I, a civic administration building will be constructed, an interpretation centre, a zoo hospital, a quarantine area, parameter wall, fencing and a service road
will be taken up soon and would cost nearly Rs 34 crore.
       
"While all this work is been carried out the zoo will not be closed down completely but it will be shut in phases," Pawar said. "Several officials had visited the Singapore Zoo to study how Zoo's are maintained and we have tried to match interntional standards. We have put in ultramodern facilities and created natural habitat for animals. The Zoo after getting a new facelift will become one of the tourist destinations," a civic official said.
       
However, Pawar said that no new animals will be acquired by the Zoo till the finalisation and execution of the master plan which is under process. Phase II would include underground car parking, entry plaza, children playground area, cheetah restaurant and children exploration this would cost Rs 100 crore. "The underground car parking will have a capacity to park nearly 150 vehicles, there will be a playground on top of the parking lot. The entry plaza will have e-ticketing system.

It will also have well developed garden with proper seating arrangements and fountains," a civic official said. The cheetah restaurant will allow visitors to have food with the view to the entire African zone through glass panels. The children exploration area will have animal sculptures, tree house, plant maze and stone garden, the official added.
       
In Phase III there will be construction of Zoo exhibits, construction of Africa, Australia and South East Asia exhibits and Indian exhibits. Phase IV will see animal procurement and supplies. The cost of Phase III and Phase IV is yet to be determined, civic officials said. The makeover proposes to house 273 mammals of 43 species, 183 birds of 24 different species and 96 reptiles or amphibians of 26 species with an open Zoo concept enabling people to watch animals from passageways.
       
However, animal rights organisation are strongly opposing the modernisation plan. The animal rights organisation have claimed that currently the enclosures are not designed to fulfil the biological needs of the animals as it does not resemble the natural habitat of the animal. "We don't want animals to be showcased for entertainment of people. Zoo's are expected to provide visitors an opportunity to learn about nature and wildlife but in this case, city Zoo Authorities lack the expertise and inadequate infrastructures. The very idea behind Zoos is inherently flawed in the first place," said animal activist Fiza Shah.
       
"This Zoo needs to be closed as the staff is unable to take care of these animals. They want to bring in more animals to get more visitors and revenue but who will take care of the animals," questioned Anuradha Sawhney, chief functionary, PETA. "So the concern remains as to how the animals, especially those not native to India, will be maintained. Just creating a natural habitat would not make them feel at home.

Animals need to be left in open space as they find it difficult to stay in an alien climate," Sawhney said.   Currently, PETA is working in association with the Zoo authorities to provide better living conditions for the animals. Dr Sanjay Tripathi, a Zoo vet, confirmed about the developments and said, "We are working alongwith PETA since 20-25 days and are creating enrichment activities for animals in the Zoo."