Patna zoo and parks reopen, but witness low footfalls

PATNA: Only a handful of visitors went to the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park and different parks that were thrown open for Patnaites on Wednesday after being shut for almost two months. Nearly 700 people visited the zoo and 4,000 went to city parks from 6am to 12pm.
All the visitors underwent thermal screening and used hand-free sanitising machines before entering the zoo and parks.The food courts, restaurants and canteens, however, remained closed.
Zoo director, Satyajeet Kumar, told this newspaper that the zoological area was still closed for the visitors. “We are apprehensive about the safety of the inmates after the death of a lion at the Chennai zoo due to Covid-19. Animals were also infected with the virus at the Ranchi and Hyderabad zoos,” he added.
Although visitors were allowed only in the botanical areas of the zoo, they were delighted to be back. An elderly couple, Rajesh Singh and Punam Devi, claimed, “We live in a flat that does not have a lot of space. Walking here feels lovely.”
Jayant Kumar, a visitor at the Eco Park, said, “Although I have been inoculated, I follow all the Covid safety protocols while stepping out of my house. I carry my own sanitizer and water bottle. I am happy I can walk again in a park.”
All the 72 parks in the city, including Eco Park, Veer Kunwar Singh Azadi Park, Shivaji Park, Shaheed Kishore Kunal Park, Navin Sinha Memorial Park, Punaichak Park and S K Puri Park, were open on Wednesday.
Patna’s DFO (parks), Shashikant Kumar, said, “The safety norms are being followed at all the parks and the zoo. Thermal screening and regular sanitisation are also being done.”