Mumbai News: MLA Raees Shaikh Demands ACB Probe, Scrapping Of BMC's ₹70-Crore Byculla Aquarium Project

The BMC's ambitious proposal to construct a state-of-the-art aquarium at Byculla Zoo has come under scrutiny, with Samajwadi Party MLA Raees Shaikh raising serious concerns over the transparency of the project. In a letter to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he has demanded that the tender issued for the aquarium be immediately scrapped and that the matter be handed over to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for a thorough investigation.

The BMC recently approved a Rs.70 crore proposal to build an aquarium at the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo in Byculla. The project promises modern features such as a dome aquarium, a walk-through tunnel, pop-up windows, and multiple acrylic tanks—including four rectangular, five circular, and two hemispherical ones—to house a wide variety of fish species. However, the project has come under fire from MLA Shaikh, who has alleged corruption and lack of transparency in the project. “The participation of a lone bidder raises red flags and suggests that the process was manipulated to eliminate competition,” he said. He further alleged that the bidding company may be a front for senior BMC officials involved in the project, calling for a thorough probe into the matter.

Shaikh has strongly opposed the BMC’s proposed Rs. 70-crore aquarium, citing serious safety concerns due to its planned location opposite a crowded penguin enclosure. Highlighting that the site—originally intended for a souvenir shop—offers only 5,000 sq ft with a ceiling height under 20 feet, he questioned the project's feasibility. Shaikh has demanded the immediate cancellation of the tender and called for an ACB inquiry. Referring to Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane’s recent announcement of a new international-standard, multi-storey aquarium at Taraporewala, just 5 km away, Shaikh called the BMC’s plan redundant and a misuse of public funds.