Byculla zoo makeover stuck

The Rs 500-crore zoo makeover planned by the civic body on 53 acres at the Byculla zoo has hit a roadblock. It could be on its way to being permanently stalled.

The Rs 500-crore zoo makeover planned by the civic body on 53 acres at the Byculla zoo has hit a roadblock. It could be on its way to being permanently stalled.

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Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh has asked chief minister Prithviraj Chavan to intervene in the zoo redevelopment and preserve the largest green open public space in the heart of the city.

He said preserving the 150-year-old green lung would be a fitting tribute to the preservation of historical green spaces.

“The proposal to convert this historical botanical garden into an international zoo is ill-advised and would gravely endanger the 150-year-old botanical garden. This is the island city’s largest open space and is enjoyed by a huge number of visitors daily,” Ramesh wrote to Chavan in his letter dated April 6, 2011.