A citizens' group is collecting signatures to protest the proposed 20-fold hike in the entry fee at the Byculla Zoo, claiming the entire garden becomes inaccessible to the poor
The penguin exhibit at the Byculla Zoo
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After all the buzz around the Byculla Zoo's acquisition of the eight Humboldt penguins from South Korea has died down, a citizens' group has raised concerns over the proposed hike in entry fee.
20-fold hike proposed
The BMC has proposed that the entry fee for the Jijamata Udyaan, also fondly known as Rani Bagh, be raised over 20 fold - from Rs 5 to Rs 100 for adults and from Rs 2 to Rs 25 for kids - against which a petition has already collected 600 signatures.
The 'Save Rani Bagh Botanical Garden Foundation' has opposed the civic body's move by first writing a letter on April 11 to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis wherein they posit that the hike will make the zoo an unaffordable indulgence for the poor. Trustees of the foundation have also written to Standing Committee chairman Ramesh Korgaonkar and the 26-committee members to reject the hike proposal, which is to be tabled soon for final approval.
The group is backed by many prominent citizens like former SC judge BN Shrikrishna, former chief secretary of Maharashtra, DM Sukhtankar, former municipal commissioner Sharad Kale among others.
To take the issue to citizens now, Hutokshi Rustomfram, a trustee of the foundation, has started an online petition campaign. Speaking to mid-day, Rustomfram said, "Rani Bagh is Mumbai's largest green public space - an agglomeration of trees and most visited park, a 53-acre egalitarian public heritage botanical garden, with a small zoo attached. Whereas a zoo is visited occasionally, a garden is visited very often to relax and get some fresh air. By proposing an anti-people 20-fold entry fee hike, the richest municipality is snatching away from poor citizens their fundamental right to visit the open space of the botanical garden."
Recently, Sukhtankar and Kale had also met civic commissioner Ajoy Mehta and requested him to reconsider the hike.
Penguin the problem
What has most irked citizens and activists is that the hike is blanket and even applies to people who not wish to visit the penguin enclosure.
"The exorbitant expense of Rs 40 crore for renovation of one zoo segment, with grandiose schemes, import and maintenance of exotic animals such as penguins and outrageous consultancy fees, is being used as an excuse to jack up the entry fee and effectively shut out underprivileged sections," claimed Rustomfram.
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