project
Mumbai’s first bird park is set to come up within two years on a sprawling 17,150 square meter plot of land at Nahur in the eastern suburbs.
Plan
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will build an aviary or bird park as an extension of Byculla Zoo. The aviary will house exotic and indigenous species of birds and will also provide green open space equipped with jogging tracks, basketball and volleyball courts, and a sports ground for Mumbaikars.
features
The aviary will be divided into several sections including Africa Zone, Australia Zone and USA Zone, among others. These areas will house birds specifically from these areas. The aviary will also have an interpretation center for bird watchers and ornithologists.
Types of birds
According to BMC zoology department officials, the aviary will house 22 species of birds including black swan, toco toucan, white peacock.
current status
The BMC’s plan to acquire more birds was approved by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) last year. The BMC has sent another proposal for approving the layout of the park, for which approval is expected to come in late December or early January.
Costs and timelines
The budget for the construction and design of this aviary is Rs 100 crore. To that question, the civic official said that this park will be ready by 2027.
Administration speaks
“This aviary is going to be a huge crowd puller and will also boost tourism in Mumbai’s suburban belt. We have obtained all the relevant permissions and after final approval for the layout, tenders will be issued for the construction of the aviary. It will take two years to complete the work. The birds are an exchange will be procured through the program and some exotic birds from Byculla Zoo will also be transported here once the aviary is ready,” Mumbai Zoo Director Dr. Sanjay Tripathi said.