CHANDIGARH: Haryana has decided to hire two international firms to develop the world’s largest jungle safari park spread across 10,000 acres in the Aravalli range of Gurugram and Nuh districts near Delhi. “The proposed project will be jointly developed by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and the Haryana government. The Centre will also provide funds to the state for the project,” said Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar.
Currently, the largest curated safari park outside Africa is in Sharjah, which was opened in February this year in 2,000 acres. The proposed Aravalli park will be five times that size and it will include a large herpetarium (A zoological exhibition space for reptiles and amphibians), aviary/bird park, four zones for big cats, a large area for herbivores, an area for exotic birds, an underwater world, nature trails, tourism zones, botanical gardens and biomes. A foundation will be set up to manage the project, sources said. The government has shortlisted two companies for the area development.
Union Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, Khattar and a delegation recently visited the Sharjah Jungle Safari. Khattar said the NCR region of Haryana has immense potential to be developed into a jungle safari that can give a boost to the tourism sector but also provide job opportunities to the local people.
He said that an international Expression of Interest (EOI) was floated for the project and the two companies with experience in designing and operating safari facilities have been shortlisted. These companies will now vie in a global competition for designing, overseeing and operating the park.