Mumbai: The BMC will be providing battery-operated cars inside Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo, as an additional facility for children, senior citizens and the specially-abled. The decision was taken after Deepak Kesarkar, Guardian Minister of Mumbai (city) visited the zoo and instructed to arrange facilities for such visitors.
Currently, four battery-operated vehicles will be deployed inside the zoo premises from next month. This facility will be available between 9.30am and 6pm for senior citizens, children aged between 3 and 12 years and specially-abled. Each vehicle will have the capacity to carry 8 persons at a time. The funds for these vehicles will be provided by the collector's office. The fare policy of these vehicles has not been decided yet, said a civic official.
The Byculla zoo popularly known as Rani Baug has been renovated in the last few years. The penguin exhibit has been the favourite of the visitors. Along with them, the pair of Bengal tigers and crocodile exhibit has attracted lakhs of visitors this summer vacation. “Spread across 53 acres, it becomes difficult for senior citizens, children and differently-abled to see all the exhibits in one day. The battery-operated vehicle facility will be a relief for them,” said an official of the zoo.
The average footfall of the zoo on weekdays is around 4,000, while 10,000 on weekends. While the highest-ever footfall 32,820 was recorded on January 1.
