Chhatbir zoo visitors can go cycling around premises from next week

CHANDIGARH: In a bid to provide free cycle rides to the visitors at Chhatbir zoo, around 20 cycles have been procured for the pilot project which will be started next week.
Zoo director M Sudhagars said a test run of the new cycles was taken by the additional chief secretary, chief wildlife warden and all the divisional forest officials of Punjab and zoo officials while launching this project on Friday.
"The cycle facility at the zoo is a small initiative, but it is expected to have a high impact. It is an environment-friendly activity, which is not only good for the zoo, but will also improve the health of the visitors, while giving out a message for other institutions as well. The zoo management had stopped the entry of fuel emitting vehicles five years ago. Now, we have introduced another feature on the same lines," said Sudhagar.
He said the cycle stand has been provided at the the entry gate where visitors will be able to avail the facility on first-come-first-serve basis. The rides will be free of cost in the first month. "The visitors will not have to pay this month, but they will be asked to deposit Rs 100 as nominal security amount, which will be reimbursed to them on returning the cycle. The visitors will have to pay for any damage caused to the cycles," the zoo director said.
Sudhagar said in the near future, the authority is also planning to introduce audio guides which will provide useful information to the visitors about the enclosures lying ahead and the animals living in them and their characteristics. For now, the zoo management and cycle lovers are ecstatic about the initiative.
Zoo education officer Harpal Singh said the cycle marathon was very successful in the zoo.
"People showed great enthusiasm for the initiative. They had assembled early in the morning and enjoyed the serene zoo environs while riding on eco-friendly cycles. I remember a girl, barely seven years old, had come from outside the city on her bicycle to attend the event. Such gestures made us feel that cycles will become quite popular with the zoo visitors."
Cyclegiri member Sunaina Bansal welcomed the move saying, "I must congratulate the zoo director and his entire team for coming up with such a great initiative. Hopefully, people will adapt to cycling instead of fuel emitting vehicles to cover short distances in their day-to-day life as well."