The civic body is likely to begin works to revamp the zoo near Nehru Stadium in the city in February.
The refurbished zoo, which will be a zoo-cum-botanical garden, will be spread over eight to 10 acres and that includes the VOC Park and the Children’s Park across the road, say the civic body officials, who recently made a presentation to the Central Zoo Authority in New Delhi.
The officials’ visit follows a call from the Authority asking what the Corporation proposes to do, what it has done so far and when is it likely to complete the work.
In response, the officials say, the Corporation told the Authority that it has stopped operating the toy train in the zoo, removed antlers and relocated domestic and rescued animals. It also informed the Authority of the Coimbatore Smart City Limited Board’s approval for the zoo development project by allocating ₹ 20.50 crore.
The officials say that the Board has appointed a consultant, who will by January 2019, submit a detailed project report to develop the zoo, as per the Authority’s specification.
The report will specify the size of the cage or enclosure for mammals or birds or reptiles, the distance among the enclosures and the details of animals to be caged separately.
Once the consultant submits the report, the Corporation will start the infrastructure work. Thereafter, it will look at appointing botanist, educators (guides) and providing other amenities so that the zoo also turns as a place for education and does not merely remain a place for entertainment.
The Corporation’s latest move to develop the zoo comes a year or so after it first sent a proposal for ₹ 5 crore based on an action plan developed by the Forest Department-recommended consultants.
The ₹ 5-crore proposal, the officials say, was a face saver measure for the Corporation at a time when the Authority was incensed with the former for the delay in developing the zoo.
