Calcutta, July 1: The Centre and the Bengal government are planning to build the country's first marine tunnel aquarium in Digha.

"Why should we need to go to Singapore to see a marine tunnel aquarium? We are planning to build one in Digha and have already discussed the matter with the environment minister of Bengal," Union environment, forest and climate change minister Prakash Javadekar said in Calcutta today in the presence of state environment minister Sovan Chatterjee.

" Hum to ab jodi ban gaye hai (now we have become a pair). We will inaugurate the tunnel museum together," added Javadekar, who was in the city to inaugurate the Zoological Survey of India's centenary celebrations.

He told The Telegraph that he had learnt the Zoological Survey of India had a marine museum in Digha, which was recently modernised at a cost of Rs 40 lakh.

"It is technically possible to convert it into a marine tunnel museum. I have requested the state government to prepare a detailed project report. If found feasible, we want to support it," the Union minister said.

Chatterjee told this newspaper it was a "win-win proposal".

"Beautifying Digha is one of the priorities of the chief minister. The proposed marine tunnel museum, which will be the first of its kind in India, will boost Mamatadi's plans. Prakashji has assured us of all help and we will soon hold a meeting with the Zoological Survey of India to start working on the detailed project report," said Chatterjee, also the Calcutta mayor.

Kailash Chandra, the director of the Zoological Survey of India, said: "We have enough space in our museum to turn it into an aquarium. By collaborating with the central and state governments, we can convert it into a state of the art marine aquarium. Visitors will be able to enjoy marine life through a tunnel."

According to him, the project would cost between Rs 50 crore and Rs 60 crore.

The museum houses more than 500 marine species, including fish, snakes, molluscs, corals, crabs, prawns, lobsters and echinoderms.

Javadekar announced that the animal museum inside the Indian Museum complex would be upgraded. He added that the environment and forest ministry would soon undertake a project to study the reasons behind the spurt in Bengal's elephant population, which is posing a threat to villagers and has become a cause of concern for the chief minister.

"We will undertake a three-month study to assess the problem and decide on the course of action," he added.