The city’s very own Veermata Jijabai Bhonsle Udyan, popularly known as or Rani Baugh has recorded highest-ever footfall in February since it has opened the new animal enclosures. Six enclosures were inaugurated by CM Uddhav Thackeray on Jan 26.
The enclosures show a pair of leopards, hyena, sloth bear and two pairs of jackals. Alongside, a walk-in through aviary housing exotic birds was opened. A separate enclosure houses turtles, tortoises.
Revealing the statistics, the zoo administration said since the new exhibits are opened for public view, the zoo has recorded its highest-ever footfall of 25,000 visitors in the last weekend of February 22-23, which has generated a revenue of Rs 9.33 lakh.
Presently, the tickets of the zoo are prized at Rs 50 for adults and Rs 25 for children, which earlier was Rs 5. It has led to a rise in revenue. February 23 also recorded the highest-ever footfall of 15,000 visitors in a day resulting in the zoo earning Rs5.33 lakh.
There were two public holidays in Feb ahead of the weekends when 10,000 visitors visited zoo each day. Officials stated the month witnessed the highest footfall in the last one and half years.
“We have recorded highest-ever footfall in the last one and half years. Last time, such a rush was witnessed when the Humboldt penguins were put on display,” said Dr Sanjay Tripathi, the Byculla zoo director, adding, “We will also be putting a pair of tigers on display ahead of April. It is expected to be a crowd-puller.”
After a footfall dip in mid-2000s, the BMC-run zoo attracted Mumbaikars when it procured penguins in 2018. BMC has spent Rs 56 crore on enclosures and is giving a makeover to infrastructure. For this, three-phase revamp program has been made. Ph I includes construction of penguin enclosures. The ongoing Ph II is readying enclosures for 17 animals.
