Brighter lights, touch screens: Cubbon Park aquarium to get modern soon

Visitors at the government aquarium in Cubbon Park. Credit: DH FILE PHOTO

For the first time since its inauguration in 1983, the government aquarium at Cubbon Park is set to undergo a complete makeover by the end of this year.

The Department of Fisheries has taken up the renovation project under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to modernise the facility, incorporating present-day technology and systems.

Fishery department officials said the project will help improve footfall at the aquarium, which hardly received 26% of the total visitors at Cubbon Park.

“According to an estimate, though Cubbon Park records close to 1,500 visitors a day, hardly 400 would visit the aquarium. Given the location and the footfall the surrounding areas witness, there is room to improve the visitors to the facility, provided we improve the infrastructure and experience,” a senior official from the fisheries department said.

Enhanced facilities

Intending to provide a better display of the fishes, authorities will install new tanks with a modern look in place of the old ones. They will also fix better lighting and sound systems. “The concrete exhibits will be replaced. To enhance the look, the alignment of the tanks and the display is also being changed,” said Anjana Devi, Assistant Director (Aquarium).

Besides a tunnel aquarium, the site will also have smart digital boards, touch screen displays, digital message boards, and holographic walls.

While wanting to enhance the visitors’ experience, department sources said the project has been taken up because the aquarium was in shambles and needed maintenance.

“The roof was damaged, cracks showed up on the ceiling and walls. Even if we ignore the physical damages, the aquarium did not have a well-equipped life support system for the fish,” said an official who wished to remain anonymous.

The project will ensure better life support system for the fishes. Following visitors’ demand and to make entry-exit seamless, a dedicated website and a mobile app are getting developed.

Since the project is being carried out on a PPP model, including the aquarium’s operation and maintenance for 30 years, the entrance fee is likely to be increased drastically. Sources said it would be Rs 80 from the current Rs 10.

A bit of history

Sprawled over 1,769.62 sq m at the Cubbon Park, the octagonal structure houses 82 varieties of fish that are temporarily housed in other government aquariums in the state.

Besides a minor makeover in 2011, nothing much changed in the aquarium that has been collecting revenue close to Rs 11 lakh for years.