Kukrail Night Safari: Fresh Approvals Sought After Project Scope Changes
Petitioners urge CEC to halt Kukrail Night Safari work, arguing project changes invalidate existing approvals and require fresh clearances.
The Supreme Court's Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has been asked to intervene in the proposed Kukrail Night Safari and Zoological Park in Lucknow, with petitioners arguing that significant changes to the project's scope mean its existing approvals are no longer valid.
A representation filed on August 21 by former Indian Forest Service officer Prakriti Srivastava, on behalf of a group of petitioners, contends that the project as currently conceived cannot proceed. The plea notes that while the Supreme Court allowed the project to go ahead on July 15, that clearance was based on the CEC's recommendations, which had rejected several elements of the original state proposal, including shifting the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Park, building an adventure park, and widening a road to four lanes.
The representation argues that the Central Zoo Authority's (CZA) approval and the environmental clearance were granted for the original composite project, which involved relocating the Lucknow zoo. Since the project has since been altered, the state must now prepare a fresh proposal and obtain new approvals from both the CZA and the central government.
A key point of contention is the project area. The detailed project report (DPR) cites an area of 390.75 acres, while the current project spans 855.07 acres. Petitioners argue this discrepancy means the DPR is outdated and any approval based on it should be set aside.
The plea also highlights that the project is situated on reserved forest land and involves the construction of permanent structures, including an auditorium, a 7D theatre, and an amphitheatre. It points to conditions in the environmental clearance that require a forest clearance before work begins.
CEC Chairperson Chandra Prakash Goyal said the committee will seek comments from the concerned departments. Ram Kumar, the project's director and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, said the CZA has approved the master layout plan of 850 acres and that the project will approach the CZA again if changes are needed. He added that under the amended Forest Conservation Act, 2023, zoos and safaris are considered forestry activity.
The Supreme Court's approval came after the Uttar Pradesh government approached it following an earlier order that barred setting up zoos or safaris in forest areas without permission. The larger batch of petitions, in which Srivastava is a co-petitioner, also challenges the Centre's amendments to the Forest Conservation Act that classify safaris as a forestry activity.
The Kukrail project, estimated to cost Rs 1,510.57 crore, is planned over 855.07 acres in the northeastern part of Lucknow. The first phase will include a night safari, and the second phase will feature a day zoo, along with ecotourism plans. The CZA and the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority have approved the proposal.