NBCC likely to construct African, Night Safari infra at Gorewada

 

 

National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) India Limited, a Government of India Enterprise, is likely to get the contract to construct the ‘African Safari’ infrastructure in Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoo. After the success of Indian Safari in Gorewada Zoo, the State Government has sped up the process to construct African Safari infrastructure and the Government is in contact with NBCC for the project. “The talks are going on at higher level with this Central Government’s agency for the construction work at the zoo.

 

After getting green signal from the Government, the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) and NBCC will sign the agreement and the project is likely start before monsoon,” Shatnik Bhagwat, Zoo Director told ‘The Hitavada’. “In the first phase of this project, NBCC will construct the African Safari, Night Safari infrastructure and Entrance Gate. The African Safari will come up on 63 hectare land,” said Bhagwat. Along with this, for designing of the zoo, FDCM has engaged a Singapore-based consultant who has prepared a master plan for the African Safari. The introduction of African Safari is anticipated to provide a significant boost to tourism in the region.

 

It will not only offer a new attraction for wildlife lovers but also create job opportunities for residents of nearby localities and villages. The State Cabinet, in October last year, approved a budget of Rs 517.76 crore for construction of African Safari and other works. FDCM submitted the estimate before the Cabinet which got approval within a few days. For African Safari project, the Government approved a budget of Rs 214.91 crore whereas for construction of Safari Plaza, the government approved Rs 40.76 crore. For construction of new entrance plaza and parking space at Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoo, amount of Rs 40.76 crore is granted by the Cabinet.

 

“We are expecting that the work order for African Safari will be issued till March. After issuing the work order, the construction will take around two years time and it likely to be open for tourist in the year 2027,” said Bhagwat. More than 33 species of African wild animals including Lemur, Meerkat, Klipspringer, African wild dog, Rock hyrax, Greater Kudu, Impala, Gemsbok, Ostrich, wildebeest, Hippopotamus, Giraffe, Zebra, Baboon, Chimpanzee, African lion, African Cheetah, Southern White Rhinoceros etc. will be procured for Gorewada. In the recent approval, Government sanctioned a budget of Rs 80 crore for animal procurement. White rhinoceros, a ‘near threatened’ species, will be the major attraction of the zoo. “We will prepare the exact environment of Savannah landscape in African Safari with similar trees like babool, subabool, dates etc. at 63 ha area,” said the Zoo Director.