Visakhapatnam: Zoo park entry fee to go up soon
A view of Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam: Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP) is one of the major tourist attractions of Visakhapatnam. Most of the tourists arriving in the city make sure that the zoo park forms a part of their must-visit list, especially when they come along with their children.
However, those entering the zoo need to be prepared to pay more as the authorities are going to increase the entry cost.
During the recent governing body meeting of the Zoo Authority of Andhra Pradesh (ZAAP), it was decided to hike the entry fee of the zoo parks, including persons and vehicles entering the premises.
From the present entry ticket of Rs 50 for an adult, it is likely to go up to Rs 70 per person. For four-wheelers, the increased rate is Rs 750 per vehicle and it is Rs 200 for a video camera.
At Kambalakonda Eco Tourism Park, opposite IGZP, the entry fee for a four-wheeler has been increased to Rs 1,000 recently. When the zoo officials were contacted, they, however, mentioned that the revised charges might vary. Further, they also stated that it would take a little time to implement the revised charges.
Approximately, the Vizag zoo earns Rs 2.5 crore to Rs 3.5 crore through entry fee. With revised rates coming into effect shortly, the revenue under the same head is expected to rise up to 40 percent. Speaking to The Hans India, in-charge curator and DFO Anant Shankar says, "Apparently, the maintenance cost of the zoo has gone up.
Even then there was no hike in the ticket price before or after Covid-19 pandemic. However, the decision to revise the entry fee of the zoo was discussed in the recent ZAAP meeting. Initially, it was planned to be implemented from February 1. But it would take a few more days to roll out the revised rates."
On an average, IGZP registers footfall of 2,000 to 3,000. During weekends and holidays, the count gets doubled. In times of 'Karthika Maasam', the zoo registers highest visitors which would eventually generate highest revenue. Particularly, Karthika Maasam Sundays record over 15,000 visitors at the zoo.