Zoo revamp gets heritage panel nod

MUMBAI: Fears voiced by citizens' groups and heritage activists notwithstanding, the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) on Thursday cleared the controversial proposals for the revamp of Byculla zoo and Five Gardens.
"We have suggested a few modifications in each plan to the BMC, which is planning these makeovers. It has agreed to carry them out,'' said heritage committee chairman Dinesh Afzulpurkar.
Afzulpurkar said both the proposals were passed unanimously after factoring in various suggestions made by members at Thursday's meeting.However, at least two members, Cyrus Guzder and Vikas Dilawari, declined comment.
As it granted approval for the revamp of Byculla zoo, the MHCC urged the BMC not to cut any trees in the botanical garden. Asked if he agreed with Rajeev's statement that Byculla zoo was not actually a botanical garden, Afzulpurkar, who was a student of botany, said, "At this rate, any garden with rare trees can be termed a botanical garden. The Hanging Gardens of Malabar Hill or the Empress Gardens of Pune also have rare trees and may be termed botanical gardens.''
Meanwhile, Rajeev, who planned both projects, said, "We have already committed that we will not cut a single tree in the zoo.''
As far as the Five Gardens go, the MHCC has asked the civic body to "maintain the character of the gardens''. "We have not allowed the construction of an amphitheatre and a bandstand,'' a member said. Interestingly, civic architect Lalita Gupta, who is working on the project, says the revised plan did not contain either an amphitheatre or a bandstand.
Greens campaigning for the cause are, however, livid with the the heritage panel. The area, they say, historically served as a botanical garden and the zoo came up later. "For over 136 years, both the botanical garden and the zoo (that came up 12 years after the garden) have co-existed with the former occupying a larger area. The redevelopment will utilise the entire area as a zoo, depriving citizens of a heritage botanical garden,'' said Hutokshi Rustomfram of the Save Rani Bagh Committee.
"Following the redevelopment, the open space that is currently available to people will become inaccessible. It will not at all be in the interest of the botanical garden,'' said former municipal commissioner D M Sukhtankar. Residents' associations, which are protesting against the revamp of Five Gardens, requested time to study the MHCC verdict.