India’s First Night Safari Gets Supreme Court Nod

The Supreme Court of India granted final approval on 16 July 2026 for the Kukrail Night Safari and Day Zoo project in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The project is planned as India’s first urban night safari and the world’s fifth such facility after Singapore, Thailand, China and Indonesia.

Kukrail Reserve Forest and Project Area

The project will come up in the 2,027-hectare Kukrail Reserve Forest, which is an ecologically sensitive forest area in Lucknow district. About 855 acres have been earmarked for the night safari and zoo complex. The estimated project cost is about ₹1,510 crore. The project received approvals from the Central Zoo Authority, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and a conditional clearance from the Central Empowered Committee before the Supreme Court’s final nod.

Planned Facilities and Wildlife Enclosures

Phase 1 of the project is expected to include 38 wildlife enclosures. The proposed species list includes Asiatic lions, Bengal tigers, leopards, hyenas, flying squirrels and gharials. The design includes theme-based zones, naturalistic animal habitats, night trails and forest trails. Visitors are planned to move through the safari in battery-operated vehicles, and the lighting system is designed to mimic moonlight.

Regulatory Conditions and Project Changes

The Central Empowered Committee and the Supreme Court rejected the proposal to relocate the 104-year-old Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Park to Kukrail. Road widening inside the forest has been limited to a two-lane route. The adventure zone, which had included tram services, after-dark forest experiences and an augmented-reality theatre, has been removed from the project plan. Phase 1 construction is expected to take around 24 months after administrative procedures are completed.

Important Facts for Exams

• Singapore, Thailand, China and Indonesia already have night safari facilities before India’s Kukrail project.
• The Central Zoo Authority is the statutory body that regulates zoos in India under the Wildlife (Protection) Act framework.
• The Kukrail Reserve Forest is located in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.
• Battery-operated vehicles are commonly used in safari projects to reduce noise and emissions inside animal enclosures.