Mumbai’s Byculla Zoo is set to add a Rs 62 crore walk-through aquarium with two acrylic tunnels, more than 60 marine species and a proposed opening in January 2027, as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation expands visitor facilities at Rani Baug.
The aquarium is being developed across approximately 5,500 sq ft and will feature tunnels measuring 14 metres and 36 metres. The structures are designed to allow visitors to view marine life from different angles while walking through the facility. The BMC plans to display colourful coral fish and other species found in the Indian Ocean, with the final collection expected to focus on marine life from Indian waters.
An official told the Times of India that around half the project work has been completed. The glass for the tunnels was received about a month ago, and installation of the permanent structures is under way. The official said January 2027 had been proposed as the completion target, but the final timeline would depend on the progress of the remaining work.
The facility will include a 1-million-litre life-support system and on-site filtration infrastructure to maintain water quality. The BMC has selected the species planned for display and is expected to float a tender for procuring them. Officials are also examining other aquarium concepts for the zoo, including a ceiling aquarium and a cylindrical tank.
The aquarium is part of the ongoing expansion and upgrade of Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan and Zoo, popularly known as Rani Baug. The zoo currently receives between 7,000 and 8,000 visitors on a regular day, while holiday footfall can rise to nearly 20,000. The proposed aquarium will therefore be added to a facility that already operates at a substantial daily visitor scale.
BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide recently reviewed the progress of the aquarium project along with the upgrade of the zoo’s penguin enclosure. The enclosure is being expanded to accommodate 40 penguins, compared with its existing capacity of 21.
The Humboldt penguins, introduced to Byculla Zoo from South Korea in 2016, have become the zoo’s biggest attraction and draw thousands of visitors each week. They have also contributed significantly to the zoo’s revenue, according to officials cited in the report.
The BMC has not yet decided whether visitors will pay a separate charge for entry to the aquarium. Since the facility is being developed within the same premises as the penguin enclosure, the civic body is still considering its ticketing arrangement. The next major step will be the procurement tender for the aquatic species, while construction and installation work continue towards the proposed January 2027 target.
