Chennai, Sept 19 (KNN) With the view to develop tourism and provide facilities for propagating awareness about marine environment and biodiversity, the Government of Tamil Nadu wants to develop an Oceanarium near Mamallapuram.
 
Mamallapuram, also known as Mahabalipuram, is a tourist town 60 km south of Chennai famous for its stone carvings.
 
First of its kind, the project will be implemented on Public Private Partnership mode in an environmentally sustainable manner.
 
The state government has announced that a world-class Oceanarium with state of the art facility will come up at a cost of about Rs 253 Crores at Mamallapuram through State Fisheries Department under PPP mode. The PPP project will highlight the marine tropical resources.
 
In this context, the Department of Fisheries has sought for developers, Oceanarium/Aquarium operators, companies and consortia to develop the Oceanarium.
 
The Oceanarium apart from its commercial and educational supremacy will have alliances with the Universities and Marine Biology Research Centers to undertake marine biological research projects in collaboration with similar reputed centres around the world. Oceanarium is a massive centre for marine education and entertainment whereas aquarium is one or few standalone tanks in display with fresh or marine water exhibits.
 
The meticulously created SeaWorld will have thousands of marine species, collected from the Ocean, moving amidst corals and reef just like they live in Ocean for all to see. The creation will include an artificial ocean enabling people to walk under the water through an acrylic tunnel, directly experiencing the unique wonders available at the bottom of the ocean, without getting wet.
 
The government has identified 15 acres of sea facing land for the project. (KNN/SD)