In a first for South India, Mysuru will soon host a state-of-the-art penguin park at Karanji Lake, marking a significant shift from the long-stalled aquarium project at the site.
On Thursday, the government approved a proposal to convert the partially constructed aquarium into a penguin enclosure through a public-private partnership (PPP). The initiative, cleared at the Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) board meeting, will make Mysuru the third city in India after Mumbai and Ahmedabad to house penguins in controlled conditions.
Forest minister Eshwar Khandre said, “Based on expert recommendations, we decided to transform the incomplete aquarium into a penguin facility. I’ve instructed officials to prepare a detailed project report and submit it soon.”
The aquarium project began in 2010-11 and cost over ₹4 crore before stalling. Mysuru City Corporation handed over the incomplete structure to ZAK in 2018, but repeated attempts to revive the aquarium failed, partly due to the pandemic.
Tourism officials had also proposed an ₹18 crore nature park linking Karanji Lake and Mysuru Zoo, but ZAK opposed it, citing Central Zoo Authority guidelines.
The penguin park will replicate sub-zero temperatures using advanced cooling systems to mimic the birds’ natural Antarctic environment. According to ZAK member-secretary Sunil Panwar, the facility will adopt cutting-edge micro-climatic technology, potentially requiring ₹30–40 crore in investment and round-the-clock power.
Initially, officials plan to house four to five pairs of penguins.