Byculla zoo to get an open-air theatre costing over Rs 30 crore

Local Press Co 5-point Snippet

1. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) civic building engineer department has decided to re-construct the open-air theatre at Byculla’s iconic Jijamata Udyan aka Ranichi Baug at a whooping cost of over Rs 30 crore.

2. The theatre, which was named after social reformer and folk poet Annabhau Sathe, was built at the Udyan in the year 1963, and almost after 30 years, it was shut by the authorities who stated that the animals in the zoo were being disturbed by the noise.

3. Tenders for redeveloping the unutilised area have already been floated, while the work is expected to commence post-monsoon. The area, which is spread across an acre of land, will be converted into a 620-seater theatre and will host an array of folk songs, dance, drama from tamasha culture in Maharashtra.

4. According to a Mid-Day report, the one of its kind open theatre will be a single-storey structure and fully air-conditioned. It will also have a separate entry point from Patanwala road, which runs near one side of the zoo, and will be equipped with a basement parking.

5. According to a top official, a boundary wall would be constructed to enclose the structure and prevent the noise from disturbing the animals.