Legislature panel suggests Singapore’s Mandai Wildlife Reserve model for developement of Tirupati, Vizag zoo parks

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Visakhapatnam based Indira Gandhi Zoological Park. File | Photo Credit: V RAJU

The Andhra Pradesh Legislature Committee on Wildlife & Environment Protection presented its first report, containing a slew of recommendations pertaining to Sri Venkateswara and Indira Gandhi Zoological Parks in Tirupati and Visakhapatnam in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday (August 20, 2026).

MLAs Gondu Sankar Rao and Vegesna Narendra Varma Raju submitted the report of the committee which has Speaker Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu as its chairman.

The committee recommended filling all vacant posts immediately, appointment of additional veterinary doctors and staff, provision of a toy train facility, encouragement of PPP initiatives, promotion of zoo tourism and animal adoption, increased annual budget allocation and development of both zoo parks on the lines of Singapore’s Mandai Wildlife Reserve, and creation of facilities for full-day visitors’ engagement.

Besides, the committee made some specific recommendations for the two zoo parks.

For Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, it recommended mobilisation of ₹3 crore from MPLADS funds from MPs in the region, integration of the zoo, Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS), beach and Kailasagiri into a single tourism circuit and construction of a foot over bridge or underpass linking the zoo and KWS to facilitate safe and easy movement of visitors.

For Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park (SVZP), it recommended free bus facility and setting up zoo ticket counters at various locations in Tirupati and on Tirumala Hills, dedicated water pipeline to the zoo, appointment of multilingual guides, mobilisation of funds from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

Also, the committee recommended the allotment of ₹3 crore per annum from CSR funds by Collectors of both the districts for development of the two zoological parks, allotment of ₹3 crore per annum by TTD for the development of SVZP, collaborative measures to attract a larger number of pilgrims visiting Tirumala to the SVZP (only 4% of the pilgrims are estimated to be visiting the zoo).

It was stated that the Vizag zoo, which was established in 1972 and opened to the public in May 1977, is the fourth largest in India in terms of area measuring 625 acres situated in Seethakonda reserved forest of the Eastern Ghats.

This zoo has 108 species comprising approximately 1,404 individual animals, including carnivores, herbivores, birds, reptiles, primates and rodents, and is recognized by the Central Zoo Authority as the coordinating zoo for conservation and breeding of Asiatic wild dogs in India.

The SVZP is a unique ex - situ conservation facility nestled in the foothills of the sacred Seshachalam hill range, for which foundation was laid on September 29, 1987 by the then CM N.T. Rama Rao.

The total area earmarked for this zoo is 1254.71 hectares, of which 289 ha have been developed so far and the remaining area of 965.71 ha are proposed for development of safaris and construction of new enclosures.