The Coimbatore Corporation has sent a proposal to the State government seeking ₹9.89 crore to convert the closed VOC Park and Zoo into an aviary park under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

The 4.5-acre zoo, established in 1965, was closed in January 2022 after the Central Zoo Authority suspended its licence in 2018 due to poor upkeep.

The Corporation had initially planned to develop an open reading space at the site, with ₹75 lakh allocated in its 2024–25 budget. The plan has now been revised. Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabakaran said the proposal is likely to be sanctioned, with discussions ongoing with private partners.

In a parallel initiative, the Corporation also plans to convert the existing volleyball and kabaddi courts near VOC Park into indoor facilities. “The basketball court in the area has already been upgraded. The project is estimated to cost ₹5 crore and will be implemented under the ‘Namakku Naame’ scheme using CSR funds, with support from District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar,” he said.