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Unlocking diaries- Van Vihar National Park reopens for public with new rules

On March 19, the gates of the Van Vihar were closed for the public to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Three months after that, the zoo resumed operations and saw a footfall of around 143 visitors on Monday. From joggers, cyclists, and families, to college students, people visited the area for a breath of fresh air, of course, following safety protocols.



Multiple safety layers in place

Apart from wearing masks and sanitising the premises, the functions of the zoo have changed a lot. inside the premises there are a lot of new additions to the way things functioned inside the premises. AK Jain, assistant director of VVNP, shares, “We have created a tyre bath outside the two gates at Bhadbhada road and Boat Club road which is filled with water and a vehicle, be it a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler, has to go through it. Then full sanitization of the vehicle is done before it enters the premises. Body temperature of visitors is checked, and their hands are sanitised. We have also provided our staff with face shields for additional safety.” Additionally, ticketing has gone online, and the cycle-on-rent system has been suspended. One can also spot caution boards been put up throughout the premises asking people to avoid touching the railing and such.


Tourists return to the zoo
Dr Varsha Sharma recently shifted to Bhopal from Delhi and after a long wait, she got the chance to visit the zoo with her husband and kid. “I was waiting eagerly to come here but was also a little apprehensive of the safety measures. However, once we saw the precautions that the zoo authorities have taken, we were relieved and had a great time,” says Varsha. Vyahati Dubey, a student who visited the zoo with some of her friends, adds, “It felt a little weird to have so many layers of security and safety, but it is the need of the our and we are happy to follow it.”

The new normal at Van Vihar

-Tyre bath for sanitization of vehicles

-New timings- 6.30 am- 12 noon and 3-6.30 pm

-Online ticketing system

-Only 600 people allowed in a day

-No entry for kids below 10 years and adults above 65 years

-Rent-a-cycle system suspended

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