Alipore Zoo reopens maintaining all Covid norms
Kolkata: Visiting Alipore Zoological Gardens was not the same as it reopened for the public after almost six months on Friday.
"The Alipore Zoological Gardens reopened on October 2 maintaining all COVID- 19 protocols," said Asis Kumar Samanata, director of Alipore Zoological Gardens.
Visitors should follow the SOPs of the state Forest department. There will be no counter ticket issued by the zoo authority Visitors have to buy online tickets from the official website (www.kolkatazoo.in/new) to enter the zoo premises. They had to pass through a sanitisation channel at the entrance area before approaching the ticket counter.
Once the verification is done at the counters, security guards will conduct thermal screening of the visitors.
All the visitors should pass over the medicated foot/ foot bath at the zoo entrance. Markings are drawn at the main entrance/ ticket counter, in front of the souvenir shop, visitor's pathway, at different viewpoints and at the entrance of the washrooms to guide visitors for maintaining a physical distance of six feet.
More than two people cannot sit on the benches at a time. The space between the three- seated benches is marked with a red cross.
Security guards will be deployed to keep eyes on visitors violating the COVID-19 protocol. Special marking has been done at enclosures of animals (Chimpanzee, Tiger, Elephant and giraffe) where there are more gatherings of people.
"Visitors are requested to avoid touching barricades and other surfaces so as to minimize chances of spreading contamination. Chewing pan masala, Gutka or Khaini and spitting is prohibited in the zoo. If any visitor found spitting will be penalized," pointed out an official.
While visitors have to abide by the time slot allotted to them (approximately 3-4 hour) to avoid crowds, face masks are compulsory for them. If they do not have a face mask, visitors will have to purchase it from the zoo counter or from the outside hawker. "Eatable is not allowed inside the zoo. Visitors should bring their own water," said the official.
