Work on Night Safari to start in UP

Lucknow - An ambitious Night wildlife Safari project - the first in India - might see the light of the day sooner than later at Greater Noida adjoining Delhi.

The Uttar Pradesh government Tuesday gave the given the green signal to consider the start of the bid invitation process regarding the development of a wildlife night park.

The wildlife safari would be developed through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

It would encompass outdoor natural setting for 40 percent animals of the Indian sub-continent and 60 percent animals from outside.

The decision to speed up the project was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The Greater Noida Authority would conduct the bidding process.

The meeting was attended by acting Singapore High Commissioner Jonathan Tow.

The proposed Night Safari with closed environment and controlled conditions will be the first in India and the second in Asia after Singapore.

The meeting also discussed the possibility of the night safari running into rough weather as has been the past experience in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Officials said land measuring around 102 hectares had been earmarked for the project.

The project was conceived in 2005 by the then Samajwadi Party government but grounded by the Bahujan Samaj Party government.

The government expects around 7,000 tourists to enjoy a safe drive in enclosed vans every evening.