Maya’s university and Mulayam’s Night Safari ride on poll results

Maya’s university and Mulayam’s Night Safari ride on poll results

Aman Sharma
Greater Noida, April 25: Two multi-crore projects in Greater Noida, announced by the Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav governments in the last four years, await the election results for a decision on their fate.
While construction is to begin at the first-of-its-kind Rs 150-crore Night Safari project after its clearance by the Central Zoo Authority recently, Mayawati’s Rs 300-cr pet project, Gautam Budh University, has no takers.
The University, spread over 500 acres along the proposed Taj Expressway, lies in ruins, Newsline found. A plaque of Mayawati and statues of Gautam Buddha are all that the boundary wall with five huge gates encloses. “If power changes hand, we hope work will start,” said a Greater Noida Authority official.
Construction at the campus stopped in October 2003 after Mulayam took over. Mayawati had laid the foundation stone of the project on October 14, 2002. Contracts worth Rs 45 crore were also awarded during her tenure. “The contracts were later cancelled as it was felt that they had been awarded at an inflated amount. An inquiry was ordered,” said a Greater Noida Authority official.
Over the years, grills and iron pipes laid for the drainage system, have been stolen, said the sole caretaker.
The story of the Night Safari Project is somewhat different. Already, 150 acres has been acquired in Murshadpur in Greater Noida on the Expressway, but the officials are in a hurry to complete the project. Officials told Newsline that the project has got clearance from both the zoo and environmental authorities. The plan is now to complete the project — modeled on Singapore, China and Thailand Night Safari — before the 2010 CW Games. The Authority expects 40 lakh visitors annually. “The project report has been prepared by Bernard Harrison, the principal partner of Creativity and Design for the world’s first Night Safari at Singapore. We will approach the Supreme Court and the construction will begin,” an official confirmed.