The Supreme Court has okayed the Uttar Pradesh government’s ambitious Kukrail Night Safari and Day Zoo project, clearing the final hurdle for what is proposed to be India’s first Night Safari and the world’s fifth after Singapore, Thailand, China and Indonesia.The project had faced years of scrutiny because it is to come up inside the ecologically sensitive 2,027-hectare Kukrail Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Lucknow, which is also home to India’s first gharial conservation centre, established in 1975.The Rs 1,510-crore project will come up over 855 acres within the Kukrail Reserve Forest and will be developed in two phases:-Phase I: Night Safari and Eco-tourism Zone-Phase II: Day ZooAccording to the project plan, the Night Safari will feature theme-based zones inspired by wildlife landscapes in India and abroad, along with night trails, naturalistic animal habitats and forest trails.Visitors will travel in battery-operated vehicles; the trail is being chalked out.The Uttar Pradesh government said the project will combine wildlife conservation, research, education and tourism.The master plan also includes conservation breeding facilities, wildlife interpretation and education centres, cafeterias, a 7D theatre and an auditorium.Story continues below this adUnlike conventional zoos, the Night Safari will allow visitors to observe nocturnal animals during their active hours using a special lighting system designed to mimic natural moonlight.Officials said this would be the unique feature of the night safari. “The proposed special lighting system would be designed to mimic moonlight. The idea is to allow visitors to observe wildlife clearly without disturbing or creating discomfort for the animals” explained an official.The proposal includes creating naturalistic habitats for several species, including: Asiatic lions, Bengal tigers, Leopards, Hyenas, Flying squirrels, and Gharials.The habitats will be modelled on natural ecosystems, incorporating grasslands, wetlands, rock formations and native vegetation for “immersive visitor experience”.Story continues below this adThe facility is expected to manage footfall of about 4,000 visitors during weekdays and about 8,000 on weekends or holidays.Why was there a four-year wait for approval?The project was first announced by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in July 2022 and received Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approval the following month. However, because it was proposed inside the Kukrail Reserve Forest, it had to undergo multiple regulatory and judicial clearances.In 2023, the proposal received approvals from the State Wildlife Board and the Central Zoo Authority (CZA). Because it involved forest land and wildlife habitat, it also required forest, wildlife and environmental clearances.Also Read | Supreme Court clears Uttar Pradesh’s night safari project in Kukrail Reserve ForestThe project was subsequently examined by the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which conducted inspections and sought modifications to the project design.Story continues below this adAfter multiple rounds of hearings, the SC finally approved the project this week.The prolonged scrutiny stemmed from the ecological significance of the reserve forest, one of Lucknow’s largest protected green spaces. Developed as a plantation forest in the 1950s, the reserve is named after the Kukrail stream, a tributary of the Gomti River, and serves as an important urban forest. Efforts are also under way to revive the Kukrail stream.The forest is also home to the Kukrail Gharial Rehabilitation Centre (KGRC), established in 1975 to save the critically endangered gharial.Baby gharial photographed at Kukrail reserve forest, Lucknow (Wikimedia Commons)According to officials, the centre has, over the past five decades, become one of the most successful reptile conservation facilities, breeding and releasing gharials into rivers across India. It also houses research laboratories, veterinary facilities, and rescue enclosures for gharials and turtles.Story continues below this adThe government said the Night Safari project is intended not merely as a tourism destination but also as a conservation and research facility, promoting wildlife conservation and breeding, research on nocturnal wildlife behaviour, and undertaking public awareness on wildlife protection.