KARACHI, Nov 5: The Clifton Fish Aquarium, which is lying closed for the last six years, will be opened for the public on March 23, 2005. An estimated Rs20 million will be spent on the revival and renovation of the aquarium, during which the dilapidated pillars and beams of the aquarium's building would also be repaired, which have been damaged due to seawater and had led to the closure of a popular and unique recreational place for the people.

This was stated by the coordinator to City Nazim Naimatullah Khan, Dr Fayyaz Alam, while talking to PPI on Friday. He said the aquarium's building was declared dangerous by the former administrator of the defunct KMC, Ansar Zaidi.

A reputed firm would carry out the renovation and repair works at the aquarium, whereas the services of a marine expert, Khalid Rafia, had been hired for designing of fish tanks, he added.

He said that over 100 species of marine and fresh water fish, besides other marine life forms, would be displayed at the aquarium after its reopening. Dr Alam expressed the hope that the revival of the Clifton Aquarium would not only provide a good recreational site to the people of city, but would also generate revenue for the city government.

He said that the city nazim would inaugurate the renovation work at the aquarium after Eidul Fitr, and thanked EDO, Works and Services, CDGK, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, nazim's Coordinator Abid Ilyas, DO Mansoor Qazi, and DCO Mir Hussain Ali, for taking special interest in the revival of the aquarium. He also lauded the environment-friendly approach of the city nazim. - PPI