Chhatbir Zoo may open next month

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Zirakpur, October 12

Closed since March due to the Covid-induced lockdown, Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, commonly known as Chhatbir Zoo, is expected to be thrown open to public next month.

The authorities said they would send detailed SOPs to the state government in the next 10 days to seek its permission to open the zoo.

An official said though the Centre had allowed opening of zoos, approval from the state government would be taken in this regard. The authorities are also taking no chance as a tiger in a US zoo had tested positive for Covid-19.

Online Entry Tickets

• The authorities have planned online bookings for tickets for entry, parking, tiger safari and use of video camera. They are also planning to make online bookings for food items in canteens on the premises.
• Other arrangements such as sanitisation, cleaning and putting up barricades to maintain distance between visitors and animals will also be made.

M Sudhagar, Field Director of Chhatbir Zoo, said: “We will send SOPs to the state government in the next 10 days. The decision to open the zoo will be taken after getting permission from the government.”

The authorities have planned online bookings for entry ticket, parking ticket, tiger safari and video camera. They are also planning to make online booking for food items in canteens on the zoo premises.

Other arrangements such as sanitisation, cleaning and putting up barricades to maintain distance between visitors and animals will be made. Officials will also keep an eye on any sudden change in the behaviour of animals.

As per the Centre, there should be isolation and quarantine facilities available for animals.

Rs4.5 cr ‘loss’ since March

Chhatbir Zoo faced a ‘loss’ of around Rs4.50 crore due to the lockdown. Official said they do not see it as a loss as the zoo was not run like some industry, whose aim was to make profit.