Bhopal aquarium project based on PPP model not viable: survey

New Delhi-based consulting firm Deloitte had found that the Madhya Pradesh government’s proposal to construct a high-tech aquarium at Bhadbhada through a public private partnership (PPP) model would not economically viable, fisheries department officials said.

Updated on: Jun 27, 2015, 17:05:24 IST

Hindustan Times | By Neeraj Santoshi, Bhopal

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New Delhi-based consulting firm Deloitte had found that the Madhya Pradesh government’s proposal to construct a high-tech aquarium at Bhadbhada through a public private partnership (PPP) model would not economically viable, fisheries department officials said.

Fisheries-minister-Kusum-Mehdale-takes-a-round-of-the-new-aquarium-set-up-at-Bhadbhada-in-Bhopal-on-Tuesday-Mujeeb-faruqui-HT-photo

This is bad news for fish lovers as the fish of the famous Machhli Ghar in Bhopal may not get a good home anytime soon.

Director of fisheries department UK Purohit said the firm’s feasibility survey was conducted on the instructions of a special committee formed for the aquarium project and rehabilitation of the fish.

“After Deloitte stated in its feasibility report that developing an aquarium through the PPP mode wouldn’t be economically feasible and it was unlikely that private investors would come forward to invest, fisheries development minister Kusum Mehdale instructed us to seek funds from the Centre for this ambitious project. The feasibility survey report will be submitted before the chief secretary also,“ he said.

The Machhli Ghar was shut down for public on March 31 this year to make way for the state’s first five-star restaurant and its 3.16-acre land and the building were handed over to the tourism department.

Officials of the fisheries department said the government had assured them that a modern aquarium would be built through PPP mode on the land of the fisheries department at Bhadbhada in the outskirts of Bhopal. They had said it would take around Rs 20 to Rs 25 crore to build the aquarium.

On Tuesday, the temporary aquarium built on the ground floor of the fisheries department at Bhadbhada was inaugurated by Mehdale.

Mehdale had told senior fisheries officials that though it was not “that good”, efforts would be made to construct a new aquarium soon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More