September 4, 2014
WB CM inspects the progress of work for Safari Park near Siliguri
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms MamataBanerjee visited the site for the proposed animal safari park at Shorea NaturePark, around 7 km from Siliguri. She stopped by the site on her way fromKalimpong to Bagdora Airport, from where she flew to Kolkata.
“The Park will be a tourist attraction. Itis a big project. The safari park will be set up on 700 acres of land and theproject cost is Rs 255 crore. The project will be complete within two years,”the Chief Minister said.
Talking to officials there, she enquiredabout the infrastructure of the project of which she had laid the foundationstone from Darjeeling on 17 July. “The park will have various animals,including tigers, and a separate zone for birds. The Central Zoo Authority ofIndia has already given its nod for the project. A dedicated officer would bein charge of the park. Visitors can walk on the path for them to reach theanimals that are harmless, while there will be bus rides for watching otheranimals,” she said.
The cost of the first phase of the projectis Rs 78 crore and it is likely to be completed within next year.
The park will house tigers, leopards,jungle cats, Himalayan black bears, rhinos, a variety of reptiles including thecrocodile, and birds. The park has been named as the North Bengal Wild AnimalPark. A director will be in charge of the park.
Around 100 people visit the Shorea Parkevery day at present. Members of the forest protection committee todayfelicitated the Chief Minister who had, during her visit to north Bengal inJuly 2012, suggested forest officials to set up such a park in the region.
Several mega projects to boost the tourismindustry are on the cards in the picturesque districts of north Bengal. “I willvisit Sandakphu next time to see how the place can be developed. This apart, wewill work to build a 'new Darjeeling' near Algara in Kalimpong. We are alsoworking to identify sports activities for the tourism industry,” the ChiefMinister said.
