Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde Opens Residence Premises For Morning Walkers After CZA Ends Walking Facility At Byculla Zoo | VIDEO

Mumbai, August 15, 2026: After the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) guidelines ended decades of morning walks at Byculla's Veermata Jijabai Bhosale botanical garden and zoo, Mayor Ritu Tawde announced an alternative on Independence Day. Residents can now use the pathway adjoining the Mayor's bungalow and its premises for morning walks between 6 am and 9 am.

On Independence Day, Tawde opened the main gate of the Mayor's official residence after hoisting the national flag, allowing local residents to use the pathway adjoining the bungalow and its premises for morning walks.

The facility will be available daily from 6 am to 9 am, giving citizens an opportunity to walk amid the greenery surrounding the heritage-category bungalow.

Zoo Walks Discontinued

For years, registered walkers had been permitted to use a designated stretch inside the zoo between 6 am and 8 am on payment of a nominal monthly fee of Rs 150. The facility was discontinued in July following the implementation of guidelines issued by the CZA.

The CZA's 2023 guidelines require zoos to ensure that animals are provided with a disturbance-free period before the arrival of visitors. Officials also cited complaints against some walkers for feeding stray dogs and plucking flowers within the zoo premises.

The decision to open the Mayor's residence premises is expected to provide relief to regular morning walkers who had been affected by the closure.

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Green Space For Residents

The Mayor's official residence, located in the vicinity of the zoo, is surrounded by trees and greenery. Tawde moved into the heritage bungalow with her family towards the end of June, after assuming office as Mayor in February 2026.

The new arrangement is likely to give citizens a green and relatively tranquil space for their morning walks while keeping the zoo's animal-care requirements in mind.

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