After being cancelled thrice already, the much controversial tenders for developing new enclosures for animals, which is the second phase of BMC’s ambitious Veermata Jijabai Bhosale (VJB) Zoo makeover plan, was cleared by the administration earlier this week. However, it will now go to the Standing committee for final approval.
Accordig to a senior BMC official, there are a total of 17 enclosures to be built, which have been divided into two phases - the first having 10 enclosures while the second phase has seven enclosures.
“After the re-bidding, the tenders have now been allotted to Skyway Infrastructure Pvt Limited to build seven enclosures, which will include modern and spacious enclosures for lions, tigers, sloth bear, wolf, herbivores as well as an aquatic bird aviary all costing around Rs 58 crore. This allotted tenders will now be tabled in the Standing Committee and require a green signal from there as well,” said the BMC official, adding that various discrepancies by the bidders had delayed the tendering procedure.
The tender for the first phase, which includes construction of 10 enclosures for animals like leopard, jackals, hyenas, small cats, otters and others, is yet to be awarded after it was scrapped too. Incidentally, a BMC official informed that during the previous bidding, canceled by Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta, Skyway Infrastructure was one of the bidders.
Another official said once it receives a green signal from both the Standing Committee and the House, it will take a month to begin work. “Since this is a much controversial project, we expect there will be questions raised over this tender and we can only hope that it gets cleared without further delays that has already derailed the entire makeover plans,” said the official.
