Changing misconception

Food mela aims at bringing families to Karachi Zoo

KARACHI: A 10-day Food Mela will be organised at the newly established food street inside the premises of Karachi Zoo.

“We will be providing an ideal platform to the local food vendors by organising the mela from December 21 to 31, before the regular opening of the food street, to attract the popular brands. This will not only please the visitors but also generate revenue”, said the Senior Director of Karachi Zoo and Botanical Garden, Syed Raza Abbas Rizvi.

He said the Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab will inaugurate the mela. “On the first weekend, after the inauguration of the Food Mela, a Qawwali programme will also be staged. The gala will start after sunset and continue till midnight”, he apprised. “At the end of the Food Mela, we will also arrange a celebration at midnight of December 31 to welcome the year 2023”, Rizvi added.

An area of more than two acres has been allocated for the food street inside the Karachi Zoo and entry will be allowed from Gate No-5. The Zoo officials have informed this scribe that six shops have also been built within the premises of the zoo, but as of now, the food street would consist of makeshift kiosks to get the ball rolling. “So far, we have received 30 to 40 applications concerning the installation of food kiosks from different food vendors and our preparations are in the final stage”, an official said.

To a question regarding a perception that an intolerable odour around the area could lead to the failure of the food street project, Rizvi replied that we have had rounds of discussions with the stakeholders in this regard, and have convinced them that the perception is baseless as the influx of visitors to the zoo is clear evidence that there are no such circumstances here. “Yes, we do have some unpleasant smells, but this is very much normal for a place where animals are caged. It is the same story elsewhere in the world”, he clarified. However, for the new project, the authorities will ensure to keep the surroundings as clean as possible”, he assured.

Rizvi said the main reason to organise the festival is to change the misconception that the local zoo is not an ideal family recreation spot. He said that in the past, a duck pond in the zoo was the specific place which was not being kept desirably clean, but now, the management’s decision to change the pond’s water at regular intervals has solved the problem.

He told this scribe that after the Food Mela, the zoo’s administration would thoroughly look into the applications of all those interested in installing their food kiosks here, but the permission would be given to only those businesses that would meet the criterion set by the management.

The food street is established on recently reclaimed land inside the zoo. “Some staff members in connivance with some outsiders were involved in erecting small apartments and houses on the land inside the premises of the zoo. But the administration rightfully took the stance of removing the encroachments that paved the way for the establishment of the food street here”, Rizvi informed.

He said that the people of Karachi did not have such an opportunity where they could enjoy food in a serene and calm atmosphere, so the idea was conceived to set up a food street in the middle of the city to provide the public with an opportunity for recreation.

He opined that only a proper food street in Karachi was established at the Port Grand but it was beyond the reach of the middle class. “We are going to attract the middle and upper-middle class so that they could enjoy food in an attractive environment”, he added.

He also said, “We are also going to improve and enhance the Karachi Zoo. We have plans to remove the cages as a concept to keep the animals in their natural environment”.