HYDERABAD, Oct 8: Work on the development and renovation of the historic Rani Bagh zoo was in its final stages and as soon as it completed the Bagh would be handed over to the Qasimabad taluka municipal administration, said District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil at a meeting on Tuesday.

He said that the heavy rains in 2006 had all but destroyed the Bagh, forcing the administration to close it for public and undertake massive reconstruction and renovation work.

The district government had spent a huge amount of Rs150 million on the reconstruction and renovation of the zoo because it was the only recreational spot for the people of the city and its adjoining areas, Mr Jamil said.

He said that costly animals had been imported for the zoo and a separate food eatery area had been earmarked for restaurants where quality food would be served to visitors.

He expressed the hope that the TMA would properly look after maintenance of this historic recreational park.

The taluka nazim of Qasimabad Noor Mohammad Shoro appreciated the district government’s efforts and assured the meeting that the taluka administration would spare no efforts in maintaining the park.

The meeting formed a committee tasked with evolving a procedure for handing over Rani Bagh to the TMA.

The taluka nazim would head the committee.

EID MILAN: The nazim said at an Eid Milan party at the nursery park in Latifabad on Tuesday that people espousing different schools of thought were living in a spirit of complete harmony in the historical city of Hyderabad.

Peace and harmony were essential for economic development and Eid Milan parties were no mere rituals as they provided an opportunity to people from different walks of life to exchange views on the burning issues of society, he observed.