India plans country's first night safari

India tours in years to come could include a visit to the country's first ever night time safari park.

The plan for a safari park allowing visitors to see some of India's rich and diverse wildlife during the nocturnal hours was first put forward in 2005, but was subsequently shelved.

But now officials in the state of Uttar Pradesh in the north of the country have decided to once again begin work on the project, and this time look set to see it through to completion.

The park will be situated in the state's Greater Noida area according to plans put forward by Singapore-based and world-renowned zoologist and natural planner

Bernard Harrison & Company, which has overseen the development of similar night safaris in China and Singapore.

A train will be built to take visitors to the more remote areas of the park animal watching hours taking place between 7pm to midnight.

It will provide nature lovers with the chance to see species that mostly only come out at night, as well as observe the nocturnal behaviour of other species.

The 102-hectare park will be home to a total of 71 species of animals, including 58 different types of mammals, eight species of birds, three varieties of reptiles and two species of fish.

Akhilesh Yadav, Uttar Pradesh chief minister, has issued instructions to fast-track the development of the park.

And a committee has been set up to monitor its progress while the Greater Noida authority has been asked to go ahead with the bidding process to select a developer.

"The project will create environment awareness and offer recreation to residents, besides boosting tourism in Greater Noida," a Greater Noida authority official told the Hindustan Times.

"It will be developed on the lines of open zoological gardens in China and Singapore."