India’s first nocturnal zoo will be set up in Kukrail forest area as the Yogi Adityanath government has decided to set up a night safari and biodiversity park on the lines of Singapore in the state capital. There are 13 day safaris in the country but no night safari.
The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held on Tuesday at Lok Bhawan under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Minister of Tourism and Culture Jaiveer Singh said the night safari would be developed in 350 acres in the Kukrail forest area, spread over 2027.46 hectares. The zoological park will be set up in 150 acres.
“Train and jeep rides with local guides will also be provided at the night safaris. Apart from this, facilities like canopy walk, camping activity, mountain bike track, wall climbing, tree-top restaurant, nature trail and food court will also be developed,” the minister said.
Singh said there are plans to make a leopard safari in 75 acres of land, bear safari in 60 acres area and tiger safari in 75 acres. The animals will not be kept in a cage but will roam free as they do in the wild.
“It will be an open-air nocturnal zoo which will be open only at night. A modern theme park will be built for tourists during the day. In setting up the zoological park and night safari, only open areas which are not currently in use will be used without impacting the existing flora and fauna. The Kukrail forest area will be connected to the outside world with four-lane roads so that there is no inconvenience to the tourists,” the tourism minister said.
He said a meeting would be held at the chairmanship of the chief secretary and the process would be decided soon. Kukrail river will be channelised and developed as an attractive riverfront. World-class facilities will be made available to tourists in the zoological garden and night safari, he added.