On Monday, November 29, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) standing committer cleared the INR 15 crores tender for maintaining and upkeeping the penguin pen at Mumbai's Byculla zoo for three years.
Even though the opposition parties have slammed the tender, citing that the cost of maintenance was too high, the Shiv Sena-led panel approved the tender.
The civic administration claimed that after the penguins were brought in 2017, income from the zoo increased by INR 12.26 crores. The footfall of visitors had also increased. The Humboldt penguins were brought to the city from Seoul, South Korea, and this move is considered to be the brainchild of Maharashtra tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray.
Earlier, it was reported that they have covered all the necessary expenses of the penguins in the tender. The officials also stated that if a new penguin is born, then they don't have to pay extra as the cost will be covered in the tender amount.
Meanwhile, according to the latest data revealed by the Byculla Zoo, also known as Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Rani Baug, saw a footfall of over 14k visitors, last week.
The Byculla zoo is reopened for visitors since November 1; however, they had appealed to senior citizens and children below 5 years of age to avoid visiting the zoo.
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