Thane: The Thane Municipal Corporation is working on developing an aviary on a 15-acre land in the Kolshet area, replicating Singapore’s bird park concept that could attract exotic, migratory birds and tourists alike, officials informed.
The project, one of its kind to be established in Thane district and the distant metropolitan region, could potentially turn into a tourist attraction as presently residents travel to the Byculla Zoo, said officials. As per plans, the plot already houses hundreds of trees and witnesses many birds, including migratory ones, flocking here. Also, there are abundant natural resources, including water bodies within the area, which could be modified using advice from experts, including ornithologists, to create a more conducive ambience for these birds and local species alike to nestle here without disturbing the existing biodiversity, officials said.
The Thane Corporation had previously requested the state for land to develop the concept, following which the land in the Kolshet-Kavesar region was identified for the project. “The aviary will be developed on govt land, which was handed over to us, following which we moved a proposal to modify the existing reservation. The idea is to save the open plot from misuse and optimise the available resources to generate revenue and convert it into a tourist attraction on the lines of the Singapore Bird Park,” said an official from the Thane Municipal Town Development Office.
Meanwhile, former BJP Corporator Manohar Dumbre who visited the spot along with civic officials recently, raised questions on the project, questioning if the aviary park would disturb the existing ecology. “The concept is welcome but should not meet the same fate as earlier launched initiatives like the old and new Thane concept, urban forest at Turfe Pada, Dr Salim Ali Garden along Kalwa Creek that proved to be a failure> The corporation should ensure its long-term viability,” he said.