Patna: 8,475 visit zoo, parks on Day 1

PATNA: Around 8,475 people visited different city parks and the Patna zoo when they reopened on Tuesday after being shut for nearly two months amid the Covid-19 lockdown.
According to environment, forest and climate change department principal secretary Dipak Kumar Singh, parks were thrown open to visitors from 5.30am to 10am in the morning and from 3pm to 6pm in the evening on Day 1. The zoo, on the other hand, was open in the morning hours from 5.30am to 10.30am.
There are 72 parks in the city, including the big ones like Rajdhani Vatika, Veer Kunwar Singh Azadi Park, Shivaji Park and S K Puri Park.
Patna DFO (parks) Shashikant Kumar told this newspaper that parks in residential areas attracted more visitors during the morning and evening hours.
“All precautionary measures, including thermal screening and regular sanitization, are being taken to ensure the safety of employees and visitors. Besides, those above the age of 65 years and below 10 years are not allowed to enter the parks,” Kumar said and added that open gyms and kids’ play areas were closed.
Zoo visitors also underwent thermal screening and used hand-free sanitisers. “Only 300 people came here on Day 1,” zoo director Amit Kumar said.
Meanwhile, fitness enthusiasts, who stepped out of their houses after a long time for morning walks, were seen wearing face masks and gloves and carrying their own bottles and hand sanitizers.
53-year-old Vinod Kumar, a resident of Saguna Mor, claimed, “This is for the first time after the lockdown that I have come out of my house.”
A regular morning walker, Putul Kumari (45), said, “After a long time, I met my friends at the S K Nagar Park. We shared how we had spent our lockdown days.”
30-year-old Amir Khan, who lives in S K Puri, went to a nearby park for a morning walk with his friends. “We need to be physically fit to fight Covid-19,” he said.