Tirupati: 10 e-bicycles for visitors at Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park

Tirupati: The Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park authorities in Tirupati have initiated various steps to make the zoo eco-friendly and pollution-free zone.

As part of it, the zoo authorities have procured 10 battery operated e-bicycles for public use and each bicycle can be used by one person by paying Rs 50 per hour along with a refundable deposit of Rs 100 and Aadhaar copy. Another 20 such bicycles will soon be received based on the response from youth.

The Zoo park is already having 80 normal bicycles. To use these bicycles, one has to pay Rs 20 per hour and if anyone wants to take their own bicycle, they needs to pay Rs 20 per day. Students and youth have been finding it more convenient to visit the zoo located in a sprawling 1,254 hectares. As such initiatives will protect environment and Zoo inmates from air pollution, the authorities have been encouraging the use of normal bicycles.

Apart from these, 10 battery cars are there in the Zoo to ferry visitors to go around and watch their favourite inmates. These cars are convenient for those who unable to walk long distance along with aged people and children. For adults Rs 50 and for children Rs 30 is being charged to use battery cars.

Zoo curator M Babitha said they would like to bring awareness on pollution which has become a major hazard across the world. As the whole country has been moving in that direction now, they too want to create an impact on this. 'Under Green Good Deeds,' a Government of India initiative, the Central Zoo Authority has selected five Zoo parks, of which SV Zoo Park is one. Taking up this responsibility, they have been making several initiatives to create awareness on saving of electricity, water and go green initiatives, the curator said.

"The idea was to restrict the movement of motor vehicles inside the Zoological park. We want to achieve this by the end of next financial year. In the meantime, we need to procure a greater number of battery-operated e-bikes and e-bicycles to show alternatives to the visitors," said the Curator. Also, they are moving towards banning the plastic inside the park soon. To start with, polythene bags will not be allowed, and steps are being taken to provide cloth bags to visitors who need them.