Country's oldest zoo in Kolkata gets Blue plaque heritage status

Kolkata, Oct 29 (PTI) A blue plaque has been installed in Kolkata's Alipore Zoo, which turned 150 last month, in recognition of its heritage status.

The plaque was installed by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Zoo Director Subhankar Sengupta said on Tuesday.

Inaugurated on September 24, 1875, the zoo covers an area of 19 hectares, housing around 1,265 animals.

The oldest zoo in the country got the plaque on Monday, Sengupta said.

People are able to know of the heritage status of a building by the blue plaque.

The KMC earlier installed the blue plaques at the Indian Museum, erstwhile state secretariat Writers’ Buildings, the General Post Office (GPO), and the Government College of Art and Craft, all Grade I Heritage buildings.

The blue plaque has been installed at over 350 heritage buildings in the city by the civic body, a senior KMC official said.

The architectural value, national importance and historical significance of a place are considered as parameters for its graded heritage status. PTI