BMC zeroes in on consultant for designs of bird park in Powai

A year after issuing tenders inviting an Expression of Interest (EOI) to draw a master plan to set up a bird park in Powai, the BMC has created a proposal to appoint a consultant for the project. Of the four bids, the civic body has zeroed in on  Universal Organics Pvt. Ltd. The proposal, worth Rs 13 lakh will be placed before the standing committee of the civic body for a final approval on Wednesday.

The 25-acre plot in Powai has been allotted by the civic corporation to house a huge bird population. The park will be an extension of the Byculla zoo and is also slated to de-congest the bird population in the zoo. The Byculla zoo currently includes exotic species like the Japanese Crane, Military Macaw and the African Parrot. Apart from Universal Organics; the other bidders considered for technical and financial evaluation of the civic body include Ashfaq Ahmed Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd, Nagpur, HKS Designer and Consultants International, Thailand among others.

As per the civic body’s proposal, the site will be developed as an eco-tourism spot in the city. “The consultant will now be expected to create a master plan within the next four to six months. The plan will entail the design, layout and concept to be adopted for the project. We are also planning to follow the Singapore model of Jurong Bird Park, a closed bird park, and see if we can create a garden adjoining the site with various amenities,” said additional municipal commissioner SVR Srinivas, also in-charge of the garden department.

Apart from the design, the consultant will also be responsible to get all the necessary permission from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and also recommend on exotic species that can be brought to the bird park.
tanushree.venkatraman@expressindia.com