Over 4.53 lakh tourists visited Bagh-e-Bahu Aquarium in Jammu this fiscal

Over 4.53 lakh tourists visited the fish-shaped Bagh-e-Bahu Aquarium, titled the largest underground aquarium in the country, an official of the fisheries department said today. Besides students, the aquarium has become a centre of attraction for tourists, giving them an opportunity to revel in the exotic aquatic world. While four lakh people visited the aquarium during 2016-17, over 4.53 lakh people visited the place so far during the current fiscal, generating a total revenue of over Rs 1.70 crore, a spokesperson said. The aquarium-cum-awareness centre comprises 24 aquarium caves including 13 small caves for holding freshwater fishes, two large caves for marine water fishes and nine medium sized aquariums for marine and fresh water fishes. It has state-of-the-art equipment, a public gallery, museum, laboratory and a multimedia conference hall. The entrance is designed in the shape of the mouth of a fish and the exit looks like a fish tail. The facility also houses a museum where 400 varieties of freshwater and marine fish are on display. Briefing reporters about a meeting chaired by fisheries minister A G Kohli here, the spokesperson said the minister asked the officials concerned to achieve all the targets and ensure that benefits of centrally sponsored and state schemes reach to the deserving well in time. At the meeting, the minister directed the officials concerned to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for construction of new ponds, hatcheries and establishment of offices and submit the same to the authorities concerned, the spokesperson said.