Mumbai, Nov 17 (NIE): The civic body’s plan to expand Byculla Zoo got a boost on Friday with the Supreme Court dismissing the plea of Mafatlal Industries Limited for stopping the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) from taking over a plot leased to it by the government for 99 years.

Last year, the civic body had started the process of acquiring the 27,000 sqm plot adjoining Byculla Zoo where Mafatlal mill had been constructed. Mafatlal had moved the Bombay High Court against it.
On August 16, 2018, the court rejected the company’s plea and gave a green signal to the BMC to go ahead with the acquisition of the land.

A senior official from the BMC said: “The company appealed to the Supreme Court but on Friday, the court gave an order in our favour. Now, we will start construction of enclosures on this plot. The revamp of the zoo has already started.”

Recently, the BMC had cleared a proposal to construct 10 animal enclosures under the revamp plan.