India’s first night safari project needs relook, Supreme Court panel told

The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court has been urged to reconsider the Kukrail Night Safari and Zoological Park project in Lucknow, described as India's first urban night safari project. The project's development is being called into question due to changes made to the original proposal that were not accounted for in the environmental clearance and zoo-related approvals.

The CEC had previously approved the project based on its recommendations, which had rejected several aspects of the initial proposal. The project proposal, which was submitted by the Uttar Pradesh government, involves the relocation of the Lucknow zoo, construction of an adventure park, and widening of a road to four lanes. The Supreme Court had allowed the parties to submit suggestions regarding the implementation of the CEC conditions.

In response, former Indian Forest Service officer Prakriti Srivastava argued that the project cannot proceed until fresh proposals are obtained and approvals are granted from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and the Centre. The project area has been contested as well, with the project now covering 855.07 acres, while the detailed project report mentions an area of 390.75 acres.

The project is situated on reserved forest land and includes the construction of a permanent auditorium, 7D theatre, and amphitheatre. The project's estimated cost is Rs 1,510.57 crore.