Responding to the tourists’ feedback, the management of the century-old Mysuru zoo will soon be adding a few more battery-operated buggies for touring the expansive campus of the zoological garden.
The zero-emission buggies are much sought after, especially among elderly citizens, visitors with children and persons with disabilities. The vehicles are taken close to the animal and bird enclosures by the zoo staff.
Usually, it takes about two hours to tour the zoo by foot, seeing all enclosures that house over 125 species of animals and birds. The zoo is one of the country’s largest with a collection of over 1,200 animals and birds.
It currently has 11 buggies with a seating capacity for 10 to 15 persons. Some are big and accommodate more visitors. The buggy ride costs ₹150 per person.
The waiting time for the buggies has been getting longer with the vehicles running continually and almost full in each ride from morning till evening. The visitors had urged the zoo management to increase the number of ‘green’ buggies for their convenience.
Zoo Executive Director Ajit Kulkarni said more buggies are in the offing. “We have received feedback from our visitors and accordingly we have decided to expand the fleet. A Government of India undertaking has come forward to donate three buggies. The zoo will also be procuring a few more.”
He, however, said that the zoo cannot put in place buggies beyond a certain limit since the number of people going around the zoo by foot is very high. “We need to strike a balance and go by what the situation warrants.” The zoo, which also manages the Karanji Lake Nature Park, had been urged to introduce buggies even in the nature park since its campus is also huge.
