Night safari in Mangalore zoo soon

ENS

Mangalore, 15 March 2010: Mangalore will soon have the night safari that was planned on the Singapore model as the Central Zoo Authority has given its final clearance to the project .

Announcing this during a tour of the district on Saturday, state Tourism and Infrastructure Minister G Janardhan Reddy, said, “The Central Zoo Authority has given green signal to the Night Safari project two days ago, which will be developed in 180 acres land at the cost of Rs 180 Cr. The state government will grant the money for this scheme and the tender notification will be issued in next 14 days.” He was speaking to reporters after visiting Pilikula Nisarga Dhama .

He also inaugurated Snake Park, ‘Netravati - Phalguni’ Jodukare Kambala for selected pair of buffaloes and other projects in Pilikula .

At present, there are four such night safaris operated in the world. Bannerghatta Night Safari will thus become the fifth such safari .

The state government has already released Rs 50 Cr for the project, which will be looked after by the company which had developed the night safari at Singapore, Reddy said .

Heritage tourism Hampi and Mysore will be developed as hubs for heritage tourism, Reddy said .

Mysore Heritage Tourism includes Badami, Pattadakallu, Aihole, Bijapura and Coastal districts. Karnataka State Tourism Corporation will develop the heritage tourism and other than the government, private partners will fund about Rs 500 crore, Reddy said .

"International level helipads will be set up in the heritage tourism project. Its centres are located in Mysore, Hampi and Mangalore," he added.