Passengers awaiting their trains at Bengaluru’s Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) railway station now have something exciting to look forward to. A first-of-its kind movable tunnel aquarium was opened to the public on Thursday, July 1. The tunnel can be entirely dismantled and reassembled at a different location. It also has a paludarium, which is modelled around the Amazon rainforest. Visitors can experience both by paying an entry fee of just Rs 25 and following COVID-19 protocol. The Indian Railway Station Development Corporation Limited (IRSDC) built the aquarium in collaboration with HNi Aquatic Kingdom, with the aim of enhancing passenger experience at the station and generating revenue for the Railways.
The paludarium section was inaugurated by the first two visitors to the spot, Mohammed Ismail and a child named Samriddhi Jain, along with Divisional Railway Manager, Bengaluru, and senior railways and IRSDC officials. “This Aquatic Kingdom will entice passengers and visitors and it will not only be an enjoyable experience but also educational. Even following strict COVID-related protocols, up to 25 visitors can visit the aquarium at a time,” SK Lohia, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IRSDC, said in a statement.
Housing a myriad of marine flora and fauna, the six-foot-long and three-foot-wide tunnel aquarium promises an exciting experience. It houses wildlife from stingrays and sharks to lobsters and alligator gars. It is even expected to house a dolphin at the entrance in a few weeks. “Features like a 3D selfie area, 20 feet glass periphery and artificial coral rocks will make this a must visit spot,” the statement said.
After KSR Bengaluru, the IRSDC has been commissioned to undertake facility management of four other railway stations of Pune, Anand Vihar, Chandigarh and Secunderabad. Another 90 stations are expected to be managed by the corporation in a phased manner. IRSDC is the nodal agency and the main Project Development Agency (PDA) for the redevelopment of railway stations to ‘Railopolis’, or the project to create world-class 24x7 railway hubs.